ATLA & LOK One shots V1
by BetterYouThanMe
Summary: A bunch of one-shots that include many characters for a writing competition. Katara, Sokka, Yue, Zuko, Aang, Jinora, Kai, Ozai, Jet (mentioned), Azula, Ty lee, Mai, Eska and Desna, etc Check out the competition I made for ATLA/LOK: /forum/Avatar-The-Last-Writer-Competition/209605/
1. The Pirate Princess

_Author's Note:_

 _Round 1, Season 4_

 _Word count: 1,563_

 _Prompts: Voyage, Yue, and Pirates AU_

 _Team: White Falls Wolfbats_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _I own nothing everything is from Avatar the Last Airbender_

 **The Pirate Princess**

She stood at the helm of the ship watching the blue water caress the side of the boat. She could feel the sun's rays warming her face as she stared into the vast nothing of the sea. The wind was whipping her hair around her face making her regret not putting it up. Her father, a pirate king, was finally letting her be a captain of her own ship. It was exhilarating having everyone listen to her orders without hesitation. Knowing that this voyage wouldn't be her last filled her with joy.

"Madame" She turned to look at her right hand man, Hahn "The cook has prepared dinner"

"I'll be along in a minute"

Yue stood watching the ocean for a moment before turning on her heel to follow the man in front of her. She didn't realize how hungry she was until she smelt the food. She sat at the head of the table and began eating. Her crew followed shortly after.

Conversation broke out amongst the crew. Yue ate quietly listening intently at the remarks of her friends. The conversations started to shift to a certain topic, their mission. Yue's father had sent them on an important mission to "collect" a person. Yue didn't know who this mystery man was. All she knew was that he would hand her a letter with her father's seal on it.

It was a three months journey to the South Pole where they would be picking up the mystery man. Yue knew that there would be some rough patches along the way, but she was excited. She was finally getting to travel the world.

After dinner she retired to her chambers to plan the journey to the first stop. After she was done planning she got ready for bed. She dreamed about all the sights she was to see on this trip.

They had just docked at the small harbor near the South Pole village. Yue would be meeting the mystery man tomorrow. Until then she and the rest of her crew slept. When she woke up Yue went over everything she would need to know. She tried to make herself look presentable, which was hard since she had been at sea for so long.

As the sun rose she stepped off her ship with Hahn and another crew member. They made their way to the tiny village. Yue pulled her cloak tighter to her body as her boots crunched against the snow. Even though she was miles from her home she felt a similar atmosphere. The southern village was a tiny version of her home.

The mystery man was waiting for them at the edge of the town, well the person who Yue assumed to be the mystery man. As they walked closer Yue realized that the man was no older than she was. The man had dark brown hair and bright blue eyes. He walked up to Yue and handed her the letter.

Yue,

Sokka is joining you as a crew member; he will replace Hahn as your second in command. Before you come back to the North Pole I need you to rob one of Ozai's ships. It will be docked at the Pirate's pier and his son, Zuko will be the captain. The ships name is Ursa after Zuko's mother. Ozai stole something from me and I want you to get it. Sokka knows what they stole. Return it to me safely and you can keep your ship.

Arnook

She sighed as she folded the letter back up. Of course her father would send her on more errands. She looked Sokka over once more before turning to head back to her ship. She told Hahn and the other member to gather supplies.

Sokka followed behind her by a few steps. She immediately headed to her chambers to map out the course to the Pirate's pier. It would take a month or so to get there, maybe longer depending on the weather.

There was a knock on her door and the person entered before she could tell them to. It was Sokka; he entered awkwardly waiting for Yue to speak first. He continued to stare at her for a moment until she spoke up.

"Well speak"

"Your father said I was to become your second in command"

"And"

"I was just checking if that was okay with you"

"If father says it then I have no say" She looked at him "You are dismissed if you have no further questions"

He walked out of the room and Yue turned back to her maps. She tried to think of what Ozai had stolen from her father. She was tempted to call Sokka back into the room to ask him, but it was starting to get late. She knew dinner would be ready soon so she washed up a bit.

Later that night when she managed to get back to her room the only thing on her mind was sleep. Sokka on the other hand had a different idea. He came back into her room and started asking her more questions. They talked until neither of them could keep their eyes open.

For the next month Sokka came into her chambers and continued their talks. Yue started to like him which she knew was going to be trouble. She tried to shove her feelings back down but they kept bubbling back up to the top.

Yue found herself at the helm of her ship staring at the ocean as they pulled into Pirate's pier. She tried to spot Zuko's ship but with all the pirates around she couldn't pick it out in the crowd. She finally asked Sokka what they were stealing, but he said only he was to know until they went to take it.

Yue decided that instead of all of them running onto the ship in mad glory, a small team would be best. Sokka, Hahn, and she would sneak onto the ship. Yue sent some men to find out when the ship would be vulnerable. Zuko may have been smart but his cockiness got in the way. Who would steal from one of the most powerful pirating families?

Zuko's ship was a maze of corridors. Yue had bribed one of Zuko's crew member's to get her the ship's blueprints. Sokka had pointed to where he believed to stolen item was. They had twenty minutes to get on the ship retrieve the item and get off.

They had already snuck on and had seventeen minutes to complete the plan. She followed Sokka as Hahn followed behind them. The room that Sokka pointed to had a large ornate door which caught Yue off guard. The door wasn't locked which caught them all off guard. Hahn was put on lookout as Yue and Sokka crept into the room. The only thing in the room was a sword. It wasn't a regular sword though. It had been passed down in Yue's family. When she went to go pick up the sword Sokka stopped her. He pointed at the line near their feet, she got the message. She made sure to avoid any traps and retrieved the sword.

They had ten minutes now. They were about to leave the ship when Yue felt something sharp slid into her back and cut upwards. She turned around to see Hahn holding a dagger that was covered in her blood. Instinctively she swung the sword cutting his stomach. Sokka helped her get off the ship. They hurried to her ship, where Sokka yelled to pull out of the harbor.

He carried her to her chambers and laid her on the bed. He stormed out of the room yelling something about Hahn. The surgeon did his best to sew her up but he didn't know if she would make it or not. She had lost a lot of blood on the way off the ship.

Sokka came back into the room with a stack of letters, a rival group of pirates paid Hahn to kill the Pirate Princess, Yue. He held her hand as she cried softly. She finally got the chance to captain her own ship and she failed. Yue ended up doing something stupid. Even though she had only known Sokka for a month she used her last ounce of strength and kissed him.

Her village had a story where when someone died at sea they would become a spirit. As Yue ascended into the spirit world she looked down on her ship sailing through the waves. She was happy that she met Sokka and that she got to travel for a little while. Maybe she could see more of the world as a spirit.

Years passed and every Pirate from the poles made an offering to the spirit of the moon. They believed it to be their Pirate Princess. Sokka, who had taken over her ship, swore that he could see her face when he looked at the moon. It became tradition and nobody wanted to make Yue mad. She smiled down upon her people who truly believed in her. She did her best to grant them all safe travels. In the generations to follow they would know the story of the Pirate Princess, Yue who ruled with a kind heart and continued to help them as the moon spirit.

The End


	2. Katara's Demon

_Author's note:_

 _Round 2, Season 4_

 _Word Count: 1,053_

 _Prompts: Torn, Fresh Fruit (smell), and the song "Somewhere I belong" by Linkin Park_

 _Team: White Falls Wolfbats_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Extras: This story is set in a Modern AU. Bending is still a thing but Katara goes to high school._

 _I own nothing everything is from Avatar The Last Airbender_

 **Katara's Demon**

 ** _I had nothing to say and I'd get lost in the nothingness inside of me_**

Katara opened her eyes and knew that it wasn't going to be a good day. She could feel the ice sinking into her soul. The part of her she tried to keep from reaching the surface. It came in waves of icy rage that wouldn't leave her be, she felt like something was pulling her into a pit of darkness. She wasn't usually like this. Her friends would describe her as sweet, compassionate, and serene, but on days like this she was cold, bitter, and callous.

She was torn between staying home and going to school, after a few seconds she made a decision. She pushed herself out of bed and into the shower. Usually she would sing loudly till Sokka came running down the hall to yell at her to be quiet, but today she washed her hair in silence. Her thoughts consumed her mind as the smell of fresh fruit filled the bathroom.

 _"You're terrible Waterbender"_

 _"Nobody likes you"_

 _"He doesn't love you"_

The tears were cascading down her face but she couldn't feel them, the water from the shower was warm enough to leave burn marks. She couldn't feel a thing; she only felt the emptiness that ate away her mind. The voices echoing since there was nothing to dampen the sound.

This time Sokka didn't yell at her to be quiet. She walked downstairs dressed in the plainest outfit Sokka had seen her wear. Usually she wore electric blues and calming purples, not dull and lifeless grays. Sokka wanted to ask if she was okay, but when he opened his mouth Katara shot him an icy glare that sent chills down his spine, her eyes were puffy and swollen, Katara rarely cried.

He decided to talk to her anyways. If it was anyone else he would let it be but he wouldn't let his little sister suffer alone, he would always be there for her, no matter what. Katara was making herself a bowl of cereal that she really didn't want but was eating for the sake of eating. She sat down across from him, nobody else sat at their dining table since their father left hours ago. The room was completely silent; He couldn't even hear Katara chewing on her food.

 ** _I wanna let go of the pain I've felt for so long_**

"Katara, are you okay? Do you want to stay home? I can call dad to tell the school" Although Katara could hear from Sokka's tone that he was genuine about his offer she still felt like he was lying. Ever since Jet lied to her she didn't feel the same. She had Aang but it was different. On these days everyone lied to her.

She didn't answer Sokka; instead she got up with her empty bowl put it in the sink and left the room. She made her way to the hallway where she picked up her book bag; she then walked out of the house.

 ** _These things in my mind_**

Since Sokka had gotten his license he normally drove with the radio on, playing Katara's favorite station. Today she walked to school. The walk wasn't long in reality but in her mind it seemed like miles, and her thoughts nudged their way in again leaving their frigid fingerprints all over the place. Could she even call them her thoughts? It felt like someone else trying to break in. If she had a crime specialist analyze the fingerprints they wouldn't be hers, they belonged to someone who stole her identity.

She felt like the voices were arguing now, she could hear herself covered up by the foreign voice. In her mind it looked like she was trapped in a glass cage, banging on the walls, calling out for help. Nobody showed up.

 ** _I wanna heal; I wanna feel like I'm close to something real_**

Katara had tried to move past everything especially since she started dating Aang, but she could still feel Tartarus' pull. The pit was there before Jet, but grew once he hurt her. He unleashed this demon she didn't know existed, and she loathed him for it. She wanted to freeze him in a block of ice and never unfreeze him. She wanted him to suffer the ice like she had. Although her pain was mental and his would be physical she didn't care.

Her life felt like a novel, something made up, not real. She shouldn't be this way. She could see the school now but she felt heavier with every step. She should have stayed home, should have let Sokka help her, but she was to proud to admit defeat. On any other day she would have gone straight to Sokka for help. This is what the demon did to her. It made her a different person and she hated it. Moments like this made her want to be a fire bender so she could burn everything to the ground. Sure she could flood something, Freeze it completely, Break things with ice spears, but it didn't compare to seeing things go down in flames.

She stopped walking once the thought of the school burning down popped into her mind. She could feel the bile rising into her throat. Sokka's car rolled up beside her as she began to retch. Nothing was coming out but Katara tried to visualize the demon leaving her soul. How it's long slender fingers would unlatch from her mind and walk out a door. Sokka got out of the car and walked her to the passenger's seat.

"I'm taking you home" He moved her hair from her face "I don't care if you want to go back or not. You are not well"

Katara looked at her brother and felt the ice receding. Warmth started to find its way back into her heart. Not like it had moments ago. This warmth wasn't a fiery rage that threatened to burn everything in sight; no this was the warmth of a fire that filled the heart with love. At that moment Katara knew everything was going to be okay. Her wounds might still hurt but Sokka was trying his best to stitch them up, and right now they weren't infected.

 ** _Somewhere I belong_**


	3. Jinora's Missing Item

_Author's note:_

 _Round 3, Season 4_

 _Word count: 907_

 _No prompts used_

 _Team: Capital City Catgators (My team was switched)_

 _Position: Airbender_

 _Other notes: Modern day highschool AU. Also at my school classes or periods are called blocks._

… _..._

 _ **Jinora's missing item**_

...

It started off as a typical Monday, Jinora woke up to her mother's calming voice and the light turning on. She peeled herself from the warmth of the blankets and started to descended downstairs. On her way past the coat hanger in the entrance hall she plucked her favorite hoodie from its clutches. Sliding it onto her body and relishing in the warmth it added to her bare arms she made her way to the kitchen.

Absentmindedly she started making herself a bowl of cereal. She pulled a bowl from the cabinet while stifling a yawn. Her siblings had started to make their way down the stairs causing the quietness of the house to be filled with loud ruckus. She reached for her favorite cereal and poured a generous amount into the empty bowl.

Jinora wasn't in the mood for any kind of milk in her cereal so she grabbed a water from the fridge. Taking her bowl of cereal and water she claimed her spot in the armchair that sat in the corner of the living room. She ate her dry cereal and every now and then took a sip of water.

Her sister sat on the couch that took up most of the living room laughing at whatever was playing on her tablet. Their brother sat at the kitchen table with their mother since he was prone to make a mess.

She had finished her cereal a while ago, but she had some time before she needed to get dressed. She stared at the picture of her grandparents that stood on the mantle. She had never met her Grandfather, Aang he died before she was born. He was a World War II hero. According to everyone she knew her grandfather and his friends possibly saved the world. Her grandmother, Katara on the other hand visited every chance she got.

She finally decided to go get dressed. Where she frantically started pulling on an outfit because she was running late. She pulled her hair into it's usual style and ran to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She ran down the stairs while brushing her teeth to put her shoes on.

After flying around the house like a complete weirdo she was ready to leave. That was until she noticed something was missing.

"Where is it?" She yelled to Ikki "It was on the table"

She knew if she didn't leave in the next two minutes she was going to be late, but she couldn't leave the house without it.

"Maybe you left it at school?" Her mother replied " I'll look for it here and if I find it I'll bring it to you. But right now you need to leave"

So Jinora hurried out of her house and practically ran to school. Praying that she would find what she needed. By the time she had made it to her locker she was exhausted. In a flurry of madness she threw her stuff into her locker grabbing her books and tried to walk as quickly as she could to first block. The bell rung as she walked into the classroom. Thankfully her teacher's back was turned so she slid into her seat.

Finally first block ended She and Kai walked to their lockers. She searched through all of her lockers, her normal one, her gym one, and her band one. She couldn't find it anywhere. She let out a huff of annoyance and threw her head into her hands.

Usually she knew where everything was. She was unnaturally neat. Jinora hadn't lost anything since she was five. She liked to be in charge of her life and right now it felt like everything was falling apart. Sure it sounded dramatic what do you expect from a teenager?

"Jinora calm down" Kai said while putting a hand on her shoulder. "We'll find it"

The moment the teacher had turned away from them last block Jinora told Kai about her morning. Jinora told Kai almost everything. He was her rock in the moments when she actually did mess up. He'd been her best friend for years before they started dating. The only person who kept her sane.

Soon second block came and went and she still couldn't find it. Her mother hadn't called yet to tell her that she found it either. If she didn't find it soon she would get in trouble.

Five minutes before the bell rung to signal the next class Jinora was called to the office. In five minutes she'd have to go to band. Thankfully her mother had found her flute. Now she wouldn't have to suffer the wrath of her band teacher.

By the time she had walked out of the office the bell had rung. Kai met her by his band locker which held his trombone.

"I see she found it" Kai said teasingly

"Thankfully, Mr. Cole would have killed me since it's a Jazz band day" Her voice changed to mock her teacher "We only see each other once a week for this band so you have to be present"

The two giggled as they went to go take their seats. Maybe today hadn't been so terrible Jinora thought to herself.


	4. Everything Went Wrong

_Author's note_

 _Round 4, season 4_

 _Word count: 950_

 _Prompts: Silver, posing, and only one character has dialogue_

 _Team: Capital City Catgators_

 _Position: Airbender_

 _We had to write a story where one character was missing or different or whatnot._

 _Everything is taken from the Show Avatar: the last Airbender_

 **Everything went wrong**

Since the age of nine Ozai wanted to be the Fire lord, but at the age of seventeen he decided he needed to be fire lord. Once his older brother's wife gave birth to Lu ten he thought the throne would never be his, and once his own wife had a son he knew he wouldn't be called Fire lord Ozai.

The night the palace received word that Lu ten died he silently rejoiced. He could finally enact his master plan to take the crown. He requested an audience with his Father and ordered his wife to make sure his children were ready.

He watched as his fire bending prodigy daughter, Azula showed off her advanced moves. Ozai knew he made a good choice in naming Azula after Azulon rather than Zuko. His son was less than ideal and when the idiot stood up to fire bend Ozai made a note to discipline him later.

He dismissed his family to make his genius proposal to his father, He didn't notice his children duck behind some tapestries to listen. He didn't think anything posed a threat to his plan.

"Azulon, My father, my Fire lord, I come to you with an idea" Ozai watched intently at his father's face for any change of emotion "Iroh has lost his only heir and since my son is now his heir I believe that I should become next in line over Iroh. Zuko is my child, and Iroh will need time to mourn. I am not sure he will mentally be able to rule the Fire nation in his state. Please consider my offer to be your heir once you have passed."

The next thing Ozai knew was that his father was calling for someone to escort him out. He had been banished. The fire in his hands was out of control, burning everything in sight. A blast of fire made its way to where the children were hiding. The last thing Ozai saw before he was pushed out of the throne hall was his son on the ground holding his left eye.

Zuko stood at the helm of his ship looking over the ocean. Thoughts of the day he was banished came flooding back. Azula had slipped out of the meeting while their father threw his tantrum. When Azulon had discovered him unconscious he ordered that the child be banished once he had healed. Iroh and Ursa tried to get Azulon to change his mind so they too were banished. The Fire Lord had sent his son and grandson to search for the avatar for a chance at regaining their honor. He forced Ursa to leave one night so Zuko wouldn't know where she went; Azulon wanted nothing to do with her. He believed the woman had corrupted his youngest son's mind.

Aang didn't know how he felt about killing an old man. Fire Lord Azulon should have died of old age a while ago but he clung to life, which made the Avatar's life difficult. It was morally wrong to kill someone, that's what the Monks taught him. But to protect hundreds more the Fire Lord had to go. Zuko had to take the throne.

Azula had won over her Grandfather and persuaded him to wipe out the Earth kingdom. She was truly evil which concerned everyone. What would they do about the young girl? Killing her would be worst than killing Azulon. Yet the comet approached, nothing was stopping it. Aang had to make a choice, a terrible choice

The past few months made Zuko wonder what would have happened if his father had succeeded in taking the throne. Zuko never learned where his parents ended up. Although he could care less about his father, he missed his mother. Some nights he would dream of a world where he wasn't burned, Iroh had taken the throne, Lu ten was alive, and his mother hadn't left. Those nights were hard but they kept him going.

They had locked Zuko's Grandfather in jail after Aang took his bending away. They tried to make the last of his life not so horrible. The man had died after a few months in the prison.

Zuko had gone out in search of his mother once he had become Fire Lord. His sister was safe in a mental hospital where he visited as much as he could. Everything was piecing itself together into a nice picture.

The only thing that bothered the young Fire lord was his father. He was sure the man would have come out of hiding to take the throne from his son, But Zuko hadn't seen him. It was getting to the point where he could barely remember his parent's voices. It kept him up at night, the guilt.

Several years passed before Zuko heard those voices. He had finally found his mother and welcomed her and her other family to the palace. The same night he took a walk through the city as the silver beams of moonlight lit his way, a beggar came up to him. Zuko had always made a point to try and help everybody. Once the man had uttered the words "My dear Fire Lord do you have anything to spare" Zuko knew his father had returned.

The young man wasn't sure if he should help his father out or banish him again. Could his father be trusted? Zuko handed the man some money and told him to never show his face again. He wanted to yell at Ozai for scarring him, ruining his childhood, taking everything from him, but he restrained himself. He turned back towards his home ready to forget about the man behind him forever.


	5. Azula's Christmas Carol (Part 2)

_Author's Note:_

 _Round 5, Season 4_

 _Word count: 820_

 _Prompts: South pole, Mittens, Chocolate, and the quote "Christmas isn't a season, it's a feeling"_

 _Team: Capital City Catgators_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Christmas story: A Christmas Carol_

 _Part 2 out of 4_

 _I don't own 'A Christmas Carol' by Charles Dickens or 'Avatar The Last Airbender'_

 _..._

 **Azula's Christmas Carol**

Azula did not expect to wake up to an old lady cloaked in blue standing in her room. Last night was weird enough with her uncle showing her memories of her past. The woman looked familiar but Azula couldn't put her finger on it.

"What are you doing here?" The Princess demanded

"I am Kanna of the southern water tribe"

"That doesn't answer my question"

"I am here to show you the meaning of Christmas" The Older Woman offered Azula her hand "Come, We are to visit my family"

…...

They were standing outside an igloo, and Azula was shivering as Kanna led her inside. Azula recognized Katara and Sokka because of Zuko but she didn't know the older man who sat with them. She guessed it was their father but she wasn't sure.

There was a tiny Christmas tree in the corner of the igloo. Sokka was decorating it while humming Christmas carols. Katara was baking cookies and decorating ones that had cooled. Their father sat by the fire telling his kids a traditional Southern Water Tribe Christmas story.

"This is the first Christmas they are celebrating without me" Kanna said turning to Azula with a sad smile "Usual I am the one who tells the stories"

Sokka had started to hum louder, eventually singing the lyrics quietly. Hakoda was still telling the story before he realized that only Katara was listening. Azula realized that both Katara and Hakoda had a somber aura around them, but Sokka was very chipper.

"How can you be so... Cheerful?" Katara asked her older brother. The singing had finally gotten to her. She couldn't keep her thoughts quiet now "Gran Gran is dead"

"It's Christmas" Sokka replied quietly

"So?"

"Gran Gran wouldn't want us to be upset during Christmas"

"Christmas is just another time of year"

"Christmas isn't a season, It's a feeling"

"Sokka, why don't you go to the market and see if there is any whale left" Hakoda piped up, handing his eldest child money.

Sokka stepped away from the tree, pulling on his coat, mittens, and hat. He left the Igloo still humming to himself.

"My Grandson is right, you know" The elderly woman said to Azula "That's what I want you to get. Christmas is a feeling."

"Not one I possess then" Azula looked at her were sharpened to a point, reminding her that she was ruthless, not someone who counted Christmas as a feeling.

"Maybe you could come to possess it, Azula" Kanna turned to look at the cookies the Katara was baking "ah chocolate, a rarity in the South pole. Only to be used for special occasions. What I would give to have one last Chocolate Cookie with my family"

Azula couldn't imagine only having chocolate a few times a year. Chocolate was one of Azula's favorite treats. The royal palace even had a chocolate connoisseur who would come up with different chocolate treats for all of Azula's parties (and there were a lot). The taste of chocolate could wake a dead man.

All of a sudden Sokka burst back into the igloo, he had a wicked smile on his face, and a mischievous gleam in his eyes, he had a plan.

"They were out of whale but I think I found something better" Sokka said as he ushered his family out the door after waiting for them to put on the right equipment. There were three penguins and a herder outside of their house. "Penguin Sledding!"

"Sokka were are grown-ups" Katara said "We are not Penguin Sledding"

"You spent money on this?" Hakoda asked

"Of course I did, dad" The two high-fived "And yes we are, Katara"

Eventually the two men convinced Katara to join them. They took the penguins to the highest slope in the Southern Water Tribe.

"Care to join them?" Kanna said, her eyes holding the same gleam as Sokka.

"Can we"

"We are Spirits after all"

And that's how Azula of the Fire nation came to sledding on a penguin. Sure it didn't compare to the danger of lava sledding but the princess still had a wonderful time. She was cold, damp from the snow, and she couldn't feel her toes but she was happy. Several times laughter had erupted out of her mouth and she knew that Kanna was breaking away at her hard exterior.

Finally it came time from Azula to head back to her home. She was somewhat sad to leave the South pole. Kanna stared at her family for a moment before turning to Azula, taking her hand.

...

Her bed was still warm which helped to warm her up. Azula was finally beginning to understand Christmas, and what it meant to people.


	6. The one after Zuko and Suki kiss

Author's Note:

Semi-finals, Season 4

Word Count: 2439

Prompts: Sexy alter ego, False innocent trick, and Parental favoritism

Team: Capital city Catgators

Position: Waterbender

I own nothing from Avatar and F.R.I.E.N.D.S (This is the episode The one after Joey and Rachel Kiss) Direct Dialogue from the show is bolded.

Chandler - Aang

Monica - Katara

Phoebe - Toph

Joey - Zuko

Ross - Sokka

Rachel - Suki

Mike - Kanto

Precious - (stayed the same)

The one after Zuko and Suki Kiss

 _*The scene opens with Katara and Aang walking into their hotel room. They are in Barbados for Sokka's Paleontology speech. Katara's hair is frizzy from the humidity and the couple just beat Toph and her fiancé, Kanto at ping pong. They talk about having sex before Toph walks in. Kanto is showering. They hear noises through the wall on the right side*_

Toph: Is that Sokka?

Katara: **Yeah, You can hear everything through these stupid walls.**

Toph: **Sounds like he is with someone.**

Aang: Maybe or maybe not. Earlier I heard him talking to his biceps.

Katara: No I think Toph is right. Sokka is with someone.

 _*They press one of their ears to the wall. The scene shifts to Sokka's room where he and Mai are making out*_

Katara: He's with Mai, But she's still with Zuko!

Toph: That cheating slimy son of a spider-snake!

 _*Sounds from Suki's room can now be heard. The scene shifts to where Zuko and Suki are making out in Suki's room. Toph rushes over to listen to the left wall*_

Toph: It's Zuko and Suki!

 _*Katara and Aang rush to listen to the left wall. Aang jumps up onto the bed while Katara and Toph are on the ground*_

Aang: **No one is manning that [The right] wall.**

Katara: **I'm on it. I think I hear curtains closing.**

Toph: **We've got shoes are being kicked off over here.** _*Toph seems to delighted at the drama*_

Katara: **Bedsprings... Unmistakable.** * _She says this a bit to excitedly*_

Aang: **You do realize that's your brother?**

Katara: **Not until you said it**. _*A look of disgust spreads across her face* Somebody Switch! *She runs back over to the Suki/Zuko wall. Aang runs over to the Sokka/Mai wall*_

 _*The scene switches to Sokka and Mai. Sokka removes himself off of Mai and gives her a sad look*_

Sokka: **I don't think I can do this**. _*He puts his head into his hands. He moved off the bed to sit on the ottoman in front of it*_

Mai: If it's about that TV article with Hotel Bedsheets we could move to a different spot.

Sokka: No it's not that. _*He shakes his head and then places it back into his hands*_ I need to talk to Zuko first. You guys just broke up.

Mai: I understand.

Sokka: I just need a second to...calm down _*He looks away from Mai and silently says Gran Gran over and over again*_ Okay I'm ready. _*He leaves*_

 _*With Aang, Katara, and Toph*_

Toph: Okay he left..

Katara: And she is turning on the TV.

Aang: **And watching** , * _There is a second of silence*_ **Miss Congenitally**! _*Aang is overly excited because he loves this movie*_

Katara: **Honey if you know it through a wall, you know it too well.** _*She looks at him like he has two heads*_

 _*Sokka then walks in and sees Aang, Katara, and Toph with their ears pressed to the wall that connects Aang and Katara's room to his*_

Sokka: What on earth are you doing? _*His face has a mixture of confusion and disgust written on it*_

Toph: _Oh we're just.. We're sad to go so we are saying goodbye to the hotel_ , _*Silence and then Toph speaks to the wall*_ **I love you**. * _She moves to the other side of the hotel room. Towards the wall that separates Suki's room from the couple's room*_

Katara: _*She hugs the wall*_ **Yep we had a great time... thank you.** _*this is obviously directed towards the wall. She walks over to join Toph*_

Aang: _*He rubs the wall with his pointer finger*_ **Bye.** _*he stays by Sokka and the right wall*_

 _*They all stare at Sokka waiting for him to "Pass judgement" on their lie*_

Sokka: Have any of you seen Zuko? _*Sokka hasn't given any clues to whether or not he "accepts" their lie*_

Aang: **He's probably in his room with his current girlfriend, Mai. That's the situation as we know it.** _*He says this in a rushed kind of sarcastic tone that let's the audience know he's lying. He rushes to stand with Katara*_

Sokka: _*moves to leave the room but before he does he hugs the wall*_ **Thank you.** _*The dialog is directed towards the wall, he leaves Katara and Aang's room*_

 _*The scene switches to Suki's room where she and Zuko are making out. Sokka knocks at the door. Suki and Zuko jump up*_

Suki: Pretend like we where hanging out.

Zuko: _*He strikes an awkward pose*_

Suki: That doesn't look natural.

Zuko: I'm sorry! I'm a bit nervous.

Suki: Just... hide. Maybe there is room under the bed. _*She goes to see of there is room under the bed. Aang opens the door that connects the rooms and pulls Zuko into the other room*_ There isn't space under the bed! _*She looks around and then whispers*_ Zuko?

 _*Sokka knocks again. This time he asks if Suki is alright. She goes to the door, ready to open it. She is still confused at where Zuko went*_

Sokka: Hey Suki, Do you know where Zuko is?

Suki: I actually don't.* _She looks around confused as Sokka walks into the room*_

 _*Sokka goes to tell Suki what happened between him and Mai. Suki continues to search around the room looking for Zuko. Then the scene switches to the room where Aang, Toph, Zuko, and Katara are listening. Zuko is trying to comprehend what just happened*_

Zuko: You guys were listening the entire time?

Toph: **Shhhh! This is the listening side of the wall.**

 _*Zuko joins in and presses his ear to the wall. The scene shifts back to Suki and Sokka*_

Sokka: Well I'm going to go find Zuko. You'd think he be around here somewhere.

Suki: You'd think! _*She is still trying to find Zuko*_

 _*Sokka leaves and Zuko asks if Sokka is gone through the wall. Suki jumps and continues to look around*_

Suki: **How are you doing this?!**

 _*Zuko and Katara, Toph, and Aang walk in through the other door. Zuko walks over to the confused Suki*_

Suki: So you guys were listening the entire time. _*She looks upset*_

 _*They all nod*_

Katara: So what is _*She motions to Zuko and Suki*_ this...

Suki: **Well we kissed for about ten minutes and now we are talking to our friends about it so I guess this is the sixth grade.** _*She puts sass into her sentence. She is furious*_

Katara: Well don't you think you two should at least talk to Sokka before you continue.

Zuko: _*Once realizing that she is right he says*_ You're a pain in my ass, Katara.

Aang: Fine we'll go. _*The other three move towards the door*_ Just do us a favor.

Suki: Sure what is it.

Aang: **Enunciate.**

Suki: Get out! _*She pushes Aang through the door and the locks it shut. She moves back towards Zuko*_ But Sokka and I haven't dated in six years so... _*She reaches up to wrap her arms around Zuko*_

Zuko: Well that is a long time. Let's just forget about Sokka.

Suki: Forgotten. _*She moves to kiss him but she backs up. Instead of Zuko's face she see's Sokka. It's still Zuko voice, however*_

Zuko: **What's wrong?**

Suki: **Nothing...** _*She moves to kiss him but again she sees Sokka. She jumps back again*_ I can't seem to get Sokka off my mind.

Zuko: Well let me help you. _*He kisses her but when he opens his eyes he sees Sokka*_ Maybe we should go talk to Sokka.

 _*The next day. The scene opens in Aang and Katara's room. Aang is packing. Sokka walks in with his bags*_

Sokka: **You're not taking your Bible?** _*Sokka has a slight problem with taking things from Hotels*_

Aang: **You're not suppose to take that anyways it's a New Testament what are you going to do with it?** _*Sokka and Katara are Jewish*_

Sokka: **Learn about Jesus**. Any way where is Katara?

Aang: She is at the spa getting her Frizzy hair under control.

 _*Mai walks in Aang goes to the bathroom that is connected to the room. Sokka and Mai talk they go to kiss but Toph walks in*_

Toph: Have you guys seen Katara yet? I mean I can't see but from what I can tell it's great.

 _*Katara walks in with her hair in corn rows and shell beads at the bottom*_

Toph: Is anyone else's day made.

Katara: **Don't you just love it?** I love it. _*She is super excited about her hair*_

 _*Everyone mutters something about how they like her hair. The scene switches to the plane. Zuko and Sokka switch seats so Sokka can seat with Mai and Zuko can sit with Suki. Later on, Sokka goes to talk to Zuko about him and Mai. Sokka doesn't give Zuko a chance to tell him about Suki*_

Suki: _*After Zuko and Sokka's talk*_ You didn't tell him did you?

Zuko: He said some really nice stuff. _*He holds up his hands about an inch apart*_ I'm about this far from edging Aang from the best friend spot.

 _*Suki rolls her eyes. The scene switches to Kanto's Apartment where Toph is waiting for him. Kanto is at a restaurant waiting for his current girlfriend to show up so he can break up with her. He came to Barbados on a complete whim to win Toph back. He proposed there*_

Kanto: _*On the phone with Toph*_ **By the way there might be a picture of Precious on the coffee table.**

Toph: Dude, I'm blind also her name is precious? **Is she purebred or did you pick her up at the pound?** _*Toph laughs. She is proud of herself for coming up with the joke. There is a knock at the door*_

Precious: Who are you?

Toph: I'm Toph.

Precious: Like Toph as in the love of Kanto's life Toph? _*She walks in*_

Toph: **Look Suzie, can I call you Suzie?**

Precious: My name is Precious. _*She says this confused and a little hurt*_

Toph: I'm not say... I mean … whatever, Suzie look Kanto came to Barbados and proposed to me. He meant to break up with you. Actually that's what your suppose to be doing.

 _*Precious explains that she thought they were meeting at the apartment not the Restaurant. She starts to cry. The scene shifts to Katara and Aang's apartment*_

Aang: Honey?

Katara: One second. _*She walks out in a sexy outfit. She still has the corn rows but now there is a Rasta hat on her head. She walks over to Aang who is sitting on the couch. She starts to move her corn rows over his chest*_

Aang: What are you doing?

Katara: _*Trying to act sexy*_ Don't you like it?

Aang: No, and I don't like the corn rows either.

 _*They get into a small argument about Katara's Corn rows her new "Sexy alter ego"*_

Katara: It's not my fault that my parents liked Sokka better! _*She stomps towards the bathroom*_

Aang: What does that have to do with the corn rows?!

 _*The scene shifts to Sokka's apartment. Suki is at the door with their child who was conceived because of a drunk hook up and a broken condom*_

Sokka: Emma! I missed you while we were away. I got you a present.

 _*Sokka places the child in the play pen and goes to get the present from his bag. Suki goes to tell him about her and Zuko, but Sokka freaks out*_

Sokka: The shampoo exploded! It's everywhere! _*He picks up the bible which is covered in shampoo*_

 _*Suki is still trying to talk but Sokka has another outburst*_

Sokka: _*He pulls Emma's present from his bag. It's covered in lotion*_ **Why do bad things happen to good people!** _*He goes to the kitchen*_

Suki: **I guess this isn't a good time then**.

Sokka: YOU THINK! * _He is really mad that the shampoo and lotion exploded*_

 _*The scene shifts back to Toph and Precious. Toph is still doing her best to explain to Precious. Kanto walks in and Precious slaps him. She exclaims that this has been the worst birthday ever. Toph and Kanto exchange a look. The scene goes back to Aang and Katara. Katara decided to take a shower after the fight but her corn row got stuck in the shower curtain as she was drying off and dancing to music. Aang walks in and laughs*_

Aang: **If I untangle you, will you get rid of the corn rows?**

Katara: Yes, just get me out of this!

 _*The scene goes to Zuko and Suki's apartment. Since Aang moved in with Katara his room at his and Zuko's apartment was open. Suki needed a place to live since Katara "Kicked" her out because Aang moved in. Toph's apartment caught fire and the second room was taken out so Suki moved in with Zuko*_

Suki: He wouldn't let me get a word in. It's your turn now.

Zuko: **No way. It's easier for girls, you can just go around shoving your breast in guy's faces and saying you're sorry and it's fine.**

Suki: No girl does that. I guess we could tell him together, but that means we still cant...

Zuko: **We can control ourselves we're not animals.**

Suki: Okay goodnight. _*They kiss. They look at each other for a little bit after the kiss*_

Zuko: Goodnight. _*They kiss again and pull away just to stare*_

Suki: Goodnight.

Zuko: **Stop saying goodnight.**

 _*They jump at each other and start making out. The door opens and Sokka walks in. Suki and Zuko stop kissing and they all stare at each other*_

Suki: **I'm sorry.** * _She says this as she pushes her breast forward*_

The End

{If you want to find out what happens Watch F.R.I.E.N.D.S. This is from Season 10}


	7. The Scavenger Hunt - Part 3

_Author's Note_

 _Finals, Season 4_

 _Words: 1152_

 _Prompt: Everyone petting animals in a pet store_

 _Team: Capital City Catgators_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _I don't own ATLA or LOK_

 _ **Scavenger hunt – Part 3**_

The door opened and the group walked into a giant ball room. The floor was a simple hardwood, the walls were an ivory white with gold accents, ornate chandeliers hung from the ceiling, in the center of the ceiling was a painting of the sky, the windows were arched and decorative pictures in stained glass. The room was empty, and there was no other exit. The group tried the windows but they wouldn't open.

"Is anyone else cold?" Asami asked "Or feel that slight breeze?"

"Yes, I feel something" Korra muttered.

They all begin to look around to try and find the source of the cold air. Suddenly Mako spotted the slight opening in the ceiling. The sun wasn't painted in, and the real sun outside lined up with the picture perfectly.

"Guys look up" Everyone turned to where Mako pointed.

"Well how do we get up there?" Korra asked crossing her arms "I can't airbend us all up there"

All of a sudden, an alarm went off, panels on the wall opened and spickets popped out. Water started to fill the room, Korra bent an air bubble around the group and they floated to the top. One by one they climbed through the hole onto the roof. The sun blinded them for a moment before their eyes adjusted and allowed them to look around. There were tracks on the roof which led the group to the backyard. They climbed down the maintenance ladder and searched for more tracks.

"Why do the tracks stop on the roof? Can this thing fly?" Ty Lee questioned, careening around the vast backyard. There was a garden with many exotic flowers and a giant labyrinth (because every mansion needs a labyrinth) that took up 95% of the yard. The other 5% was taken up by a pathetic looking swing set. Ty Lee even took a moment to test the swing set, it was less than satisfactory.

"Why did the alarm go off? If it was a pressure point on the floor the creature must have hit it before us, so why was the ballroom completely dry?" Azula said after pushing Ty Lee on the swing set. "It has to be able to fly, there is no other way to explain the tracks disappearing, also it should have left puddles of water." Azula and Ty Lee went to go find the others to tell them about their discovery.

"Hello! Friends, where did you go?" Ty Lee called out.

"We're all in the Labyrinth" Ty Lee wasn't sure if it was Desna or Eska, but she was sure it was one of the twins since the voice held the same kind of bored sass Mai's held.

"We'll let's go" Ty Lee grab Azula's arm and started to drag her towards the opening of the maze. The green hedges were twice the height of the two females, the opening was a simple arch in the hedge, and the hedges blocked most of the sun's rays causing shadows to dance around.

"We are not going in there" Azula stated "It is much too dangerous"

"Don't you like dangerous, Azula?" Ty Lee turned towards her wife "besides you can always burn a path through"

Ty Lee turned back to the entrance, grabbed Azula's wrist, and walked them both into the maze. They both put their right hand on the right wall and followed it. Soon they found their first dead end, Korra and Asami where standing in it yelling at each other while Mako stood there awkwardly"

"I told you to go left, now we're lost" Asami yelled.

"But my gut said right!"

"Well maybe we shouldn't listen to your gut and listen to mine instead"

"Trouble in paradise?" Azula drawled checking he finger nails "C'mon we still have to find Mai, Desna, and Eska"

The four females and Mako turned around and went left at the turn that led them to the dead end. The soon ran into Mai and her grandchildren sitting in a spot of shade fanning themselves.

"It is too warm to keep going" Eska complained as Azula and Korra dragged the Twins and Mai up.

"Well unless you want to stay here forever I suggest we get going" Korra stated.

After another hour of trying to peacefully find their way through the maze Azula got impatient, and that's when the burning started happening. She and Mako would take turns burning holes into the hedge while Korra, Desna, and Eska used waterbending to put the fires out so they could climb through.

When they finally made it out of the Labyrinth they spotted the tracks again. They headed back towards the city, and since their car was totaled they had to walk.

"If only we had a flying bison" Ty Lee said cheerfully "I hear they're great for travel"

It took them half an hour to make it to the pet store that the tracks led to. They all sat on the curb for a moment before standing up to evaluate the situation.

"Why would a creature of this size go to 'Ki Len's fabulous pet store'?" Asami said turning to the group"

"OOOOOH CAN WE GO IN AZULA?" Ty Lee asked excitedly "we have been talking about getting a Cat Owl"

"Yes, yes we might find some clues in there. About the Cat Owl it depends if I see one that doesn't annoy me" Azula said wrapping an arm around Ty Lee and leading her inside.

Everyone started petting the animals instead of looking for clues. Azula and Ty Lee picked out a red and white Cat Owl, and promised to pick her up after the hunt.

They left the store feeling refreshed and happy, pets usually have that effect on people. But the tracks didn't seem to pick up anywhere. The group split up to search around the block, but nothing showed up.

"why do the tracks keep disappearing?" Mako said pacing in front of the store

"Oh right" Azula said "Ty Lee and I figured out it can fly"

"When did you figure that out?" Korra asked.

"While I was on the swings" Ty Lee said giddily.

"That was two hours ago" Desna calculated.

"And you're telling us now" Mai said.

"Well if Korra hadn't distracted me I would have remembered" Azula said starring the Avatar down.

"We are never going to get anywhere if we start to fight" Asami piped up.

"Right, I agree with Asami" Mako said "Maybe the creature flew over the pet store?"

So, the group walked single file through the narrow alleyway. They soon found the tracks again behind the store. They led back in the direction of the zoo, to a nondescript gray building across the street from it.

Asami walked up and knocked on the door. When nobody answered, she turned the knob, surprised to find it unlocked. Nobody was prepared for what they would find inside.


	8. A Prayer to the Moon Goddess

_Author's note:_

 _Round 1, Season 5_

 _Word count: 1336_

 _Prompts: Green, Ba Sing Se, "To be or not to be…"_

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Other notes: Alternate Universe. It's avatar but with some twist_

…

A prayer to the Moon Goddess or the lack thereof

…

Sokka proposed to Suki four years after Aang defeated Ozai. A year or so after they got married. They set a date, picked the venue, sent out invitations, made the seating chart, bought the flowers, picked their menu, and Suki got her dress.

And during this whole process Suki was dancing on air. She was excited to marry the man she loved, but she forgot to do one simple thing: pray to the Moon Spirit.

While the Moon Spirit represented the moon, she also represented maidens (women who were "untouched" so to speak). Typically, a young maiden would pray to the Moon Spirit for a healthy marriage and for her wedding to go well.

Forgetting to do so was like slapping the Moon Spirit in the face. Disrespecting a powerful spirit or deity could cause many problems. Especially when the Moon Spirit was both.

As mentioned above, the Moon Spirit was a Goddess before she came to earth and became a spirit. The whole process was long and boring, but leaving the spirit realm stripped Tui, the original Moon Goddess, of her deity-ness.

When Tui deigned to join the mortals, she spent her time as a fish. She kept the world in balance and answered the prayers of the humans.

One day a woman came to her pond, a baby in her hands. The child was dying. The baby, Yue, would be the world's saving grace and so Tui granted her life. When Zhao attacked and killed Tui, which the mighty spirit foresaw, Yue became the new Moon Goddess.

Since Yue was ascending from the human realm and not descending she became a deity and not a spirit.

Yue did fall in love once, but died before anything came of it. That man was Sokka, and the fact that his fiancée forgot to pray to her made everything worse.

She didn't really care if people didn't ask for her blessing it was just an old tradition. One that the old Moon Spirit cared more about. Yue just snapped her fingers and changed the color of the flowers or something. Not anything to ruin a marriage.

When the news reached her that Sokka was getting married she waited for her metaphorical phone to ring with Suki's prayer. And when it didn't ring she decided to pay the happy couple a visit.

Yue noticed that the wedding was in Ba Sing Se and not on Kyoshi Island. She tried to tell herself that she didn't care, but why have a wedding so close to your homeland and not pick it?

Ba Sing Se seemed like the worst place to have a wedding. Or at least that's the impression she got when she watched Sokka and the Gaang's adventure there. Sure, the Upper Ring looked lovely this time of year with the cherry trees in bloom, but the air was still stale with the mantra "The war does not exist in Ba Sing Se", no matter how long ago it was.

A century of oppression didn't wash away in a few years. The Fire Nation, under Zuko's rule, was still trying to gain the trust of the other nations. People still closed their doors when anyone wearing red walked by.

Yue assumed that they picked the park in Ba Sing Se because the "Jasmine Dragon" was across from it.

When a line of girls, dressed in light green with pink accents, and trays of tea in their hands walked by Yue knew she was right. She walked up to the girl at the end of the line, touched her shoulder, and took her identity. The young tea girl slumped to the ground, and Yue had to use magic to save the tray of tea. Yue took the girl, using magic to lift her, to the little break room Iroh had made and set her down on the couch. Yue hustled back to the line of girls that she now looked like.

Yue decided she did not look good in green, not because it was one of the colors for Suki's wedding, nor because it symbolized the Earth Kingdom, but because she was so accustomed to shades of blue and purple.

Another thing that had Yue upset was everything about this wedding screamed Earth Kingdom. A wedding was about two families becoming one and only one side was being represented.

Word for the wise: if you are going to disrespect a spirit by not praying to her the least you could do is plan the wedding right.

Yue thought that maybe Sokka didn't care about the decorations and maybe the other aspects of a Water Tribe wedding would be there. But no. The tea, food, and music were all Earth Kingdom.

 _Maybe the vows would be Water Tribe or at least Sokka's will be._ Yue thought bouncing from foot to foot trying to see over the girl in front of her. The ceremony had started. Yue watched Suki walk down the aisle. She saw Sokka's face light up, and the spirit couldn't help but feel nauseous. Bile rose up her throat and no matter how hard she tried to push it down, it rose back up like a creature with claws that was trying to climb up a slippery slope.

Yue's heart sunk when the vows were spoken. They were the typical Earth Kingdom vows.

 _I will be your rock_

 _But I will resist being bent_

 _No one will influence me_

 _I will take care of you_

 _Just like our great King_

 _Green shall represent our growth_

 _Gray will represent the storms that will pass_

 _And Brown will show our strength_

Personally, Yue thought the Water Tribe vows were better. She watched as Sokka said the verse. He was smiling but something was off. She could tell he would much rather be saying something else. He got the line that stated he would take care of her like the King before he stopped.

"I'm sorry," he said. Suki's face broke as she began to fear the worst. Yue's heart started to race. "I can't say this."

Yue let out a noise of surprise. The redhead in front of her turned around with a stern look. Yue tried to school her emotions. She wanted him to say he still loved her and wanted to be with her, Yue and not Suki. Although she wasn't sure how he could be with her, she still wanted it.

"These vows I mean. They don't feel right." He took a paper out of his pocket. "I, uh, brought the vows that my dad wrote for my mom."

Yue's heart fell and she could feel tears prickle her eyes. Hakoda did start to cry because he didn't realize the vows he wrote so long ago still existed.

"I tried to write my own but Dad's is better." He got some laughs for that remark.

 _Like the waves I will be strong_

 _I will not break like the Ice_

 _Your burdens are now my burdens,_

 _And your sorrows will be my sorrows_

 _Our children will grow up in a loving household_

 _And I will care for you every day_

 _My beautiful Suki_

 _You are my everything_

 _You are the light that shines_

 _On the path that I will take_

 _Your hand is the only one that_

 _Will guide me_

Yue backed away. She managed to slip out of the group of Tea girls. With a snap of her fingers she became herself again. The tea girl in the break room woke up, and walked out to take her place. The young girl would not remember Yue. She would only remember serving tea.

She couldn't bring herself to ruin the wedding. It wouldn't bring Sokka back to her and she couldn't break his heart. She didn't look back at the wedding until she was at her home in the sky.

" _To be or not to be, that is the question"_. And in this case, the love between the Moon Goddess and the boy from the Southern Water Tribe was not to be.


	9. Ice Cream Mountain

_Author's note:_

 _Round 2, Season 5_

 _Word count: 807_

 _Prompts: Feathers, Bolin, and "_ A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do"

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Other: Ice cream mountain is one of the best Rugrats episodes ever so I had to use it as inspiration._

 _ **Ice Cream Mountain**_

Feathers flew everywhere and the kids stopped dead in their tracks. Who would have thought that if you hit someone with a pillow hard enough it would break?

Everyone turned to Peridot, who was the unspoken leader of their pack, and waited for instruction. For years they had managed to look like perfect little angels in front of their parents, and if Peri didn't come up with something soon they were in deep trouble.

Bolin would never believe it if his kids got into trouble. He and Opal had them, twins were a lot to handle, and Orion was always instigating something with Peri. But the image he had of his kids never changed.

And Peri was certain to keep it that way. She turned to Beck, Korra and Asami's son, also the oldest member of their group and pleaded for help.

Beck had been her best friend for years. Well they were only toddlers but hey two years to a kid is a long time. He was also the smartest out of all of them.

"Well any ideas?" Coro, Jinora and Kai's son finally asked. He was impatient and could not risk getting in trouble again.

"How important is the pillow?" Beck said since it belonged to Peri and Orion's mom.

"Grandma made it" Orion stated "So very important"

"Can anyone sew?" Peri turned to look at her best friend. Who probably asked the stupidest question ever. "That's a no then"

"You think" Peri messed with one of her pigtails "But Nerida might!"

"Do you think she would help us?" Orion already knew the answer to his question. Their cousin Nerida was not the helping type. She was a descendant of the Fire lord after all. Orion tried to argue with her that her dads Mako and Iroh II adopted her but she didn't listen.

"No, but we could still ask"

The babies picked up as many feathers as possible with the pillowcase and carried them to where Nerida was watching tv.

"Nerida?" Peri asked

"What do you babies want?" She responded with not turning away from the cartoon

"Do you know how to sew?"

"Yeah my grandmother taught me" Nerida was referring to Izumi since Mako's mother wasn't alive.

"Can you help us?" All of the kids put on their best puppy dog eyes and held out the ruined pillow.

"Why would I help you?" Obviously, she needed something in return for helping the brats.

"I could convince the adults to take us to get ice cream" Orion said. He was awfully good at getting the adults to buy them treats.

"Yeah no" The babies gasped. They were sure ice cream would get the older girl to help. Who refuses ice cream?

"Even if it was Fun land ice cream?" Peri added.

"Still not going to help you" Nerida had a wicked smile on her face "Guess I'll convince my daddy to take me to get ice cream while you guys are in a time out"

The younger kids walked away heads lowered in shame. How would they fix this?

"Well A baby's gotta do what a baby's gotta do" Peri pipped up leading the group to where her mother kept the sewing needles.

The sewing kit was on the highest shelf and there was no way the babies could reach it. Peri requested that the boys stack themselves up so she could reach the box. But they were still short.

They tried using a chair, a ladder, and even climbing up the shelving unit. Nothing worked and they began to fear the worst.

Peri began to think about how disappointed her mother would be that they destroyed the pillow. She couldn't lose her mother's trust. Not when Opal was the coolest mother on the planet.

But the thing that had Peridot the most worried was her father's reaction. He loved his kids and looked at them with such adoration, and she didn't want to lose that because she decided to yell 'pillow fight'.

"I'll take the blame" The boys turned in shock at Peridot's declaration.

"No, you won't" Orion said ready to take any blame for his sister. Isn't that's what a twin is for?

"I'll take it" Beck offered knowing his moms wouldn't punish him too badly.

"Well I'm not taking the blame" Coro piped up.

"Ick" They all turned to face Nerida "If you all stop with this love fest I'll fix the stupid pillow"

The babies watched Nerida sew with awe on their faces. She had the pillow stitched up in no time. After fixing the living area back up they went to play outside.

Orion did keep his promise and the adults promised to take them to get ice cream the very next day. The kids shared an 'Ice cream mountain' and nobody spoke about the pillow incident ever again.


	10. Sensational Pain

_Author's note:_

 _Round 3, Season 5_

 _Word count: 1672_

 _Prompts: Glove, Asami, Crime drama AU, and Tattoo addiction_

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Other notes: In this AU Avatar and Korra have melded together in this modern like world._

 _ **Sensational Pain**_

Mai walked up to the man guarding the crime scene and flashed her badge at him. He let her pass and she met up with her partner, Asami.

"There are four stab wounds, but the victim died from the lacerations around her neck" Asami relayed the information the medic had told her minutes before. Mai was always late especially as of late.

"You're telling me the killer likely strangled her to death and then stabbed her?"

"Yes" Asami checked her notepad to make sure she was giving the right facts "The stab wounds are fresher than the strangle marks meaning the happened after she died."

"Sick" Asami wasn't sure if Mai meant the slang word for cool or if she was implying it was sickening.

Mai inspected the body for a while looking at the stab marks and the indent on the young women's neck. She noticed a weird substance that had pooled around the girl's left wrist.

She grabbed a wooden popsicle stick and picked some of it up. Bringing it into the light and recognized it as gasoline. Which didn't add up since there weren't any tire marks and it was clear that the killer had no intentions of burning her body since she wasn't doused in the liquid.

"Why is there gasoline here?"

"I'm not sure I'll get Mako to collect a sample and analyze it" Asami grabbed her pen to jot down the note. Mako was still ten minutes away from the crime scene, and she didn't want to forget. She looked up from her notes and noticed that Mai had taken off her leather motorcycle gloves. "Is that a _new_ tattoo on your finger?"

It had started a few months ago when on a whim Mai got a Cherry blossom on her left forearm. The she got a koi fish on her right thigh, her family crest behind her right ear, several other floras and faunas to complete the sleeve on her left arm, and now she had four finger tattoos on her right hand.

The one on her pointer finger was a small arrow. The one on her middle finger was a bird since giving someone the middle finger was also called flipping the bird. The inside of her ring finger had a crescent moon, and the new one on her pinky was two simple bands that wrapped all the way around.

She had around 22 tattoos and she wasn't planning on stopping. She already had an appointment to get a Kitsune on her other thigh.

Asami was worried about her partner who in a few short months had become addicted to getting tattoos. It was interfering with work and causing Mai to be a bit spacey. All she cared about was her next tattoo. Asami made a note to talk with her after the investigation was over.

"Have we identified the victim yet?" Mai inquired.

"No" Asami made another note "Medical is on that but we do know she is a 20-year-old Caucasian women. Most likely from the local college."

"Tell medical to hurry up with identifying her and make sure Mako and the team figure out this gasoline situation" Mai stood up dusting her pants off "I'm late to meet up with my husband"

And with that Mai left Asami standing out in the cold next to a dead body. She wasn't actually meeting Zuko she was meeting up with her tattoo artist Sokka to design the Kitsune.

Zuko had asked her on multiple occasions to slow down with the tattoos. It was distracting her from work, causing them to lose money, and she wasn't thinking about anything but her next fix.

On the last assignment, she ditched Asami mid bad guy chase to stop into a tattoo parlor to get the bird tattoo. Asami covered for her and she didn't get in trouble with the boss.

She walked into Sokka's parlor with a tiny bell announcing her arrival. The tattoo artist looked up the top half of his hair pulled into his signature pony tail.

"Mai" He nodded to her while picking up his drawing supplies "Right this way."

He led her to a table and started drawing the idea he had. Mai honestly didn't care what the tattoo looked like she just liked getting the tattoos. Which was the strangest thing. People thought she was addicted to the art on her body aspect but she loved the rush she got when the needle touched her.

Her phone lit up with a message from Asami saying that the facial recognition software figured out who the girl was, and that Mai needed to get to the station asap.

Mai ignored the message. She would wait until Sokka finished the sketch and gave her the estimate. That way she could pull the money from her account and get the tattoo on Tuesday like planned.

Her phone kept going off and she kept ignoring it. She bid Sokka adieu ten minutes later and hopped onto her motorcycle and drove to the station.

"Where have you been?" Mai knew by the tone of Asami's voice that she was pissed.

"Out"

"We will talk about this later" The younger girl grabbed Mai's arm and pulled her to the medical lab.

"The girl was Ren Lyle an analytical scientist at the college" Mako said "And we haven't figured out exactly why the gas was there since the pool of it was so small. We figure the killer planned to burn her body but ran out of time"

"Have we identified who the killer could be?"

"We figure the killer would have to be at least 5'11 and be able to apply enough force to crush her trachea" Mako looked at the body "Most likely the killer was male but a female could have done it"

"Did you talk to the girl's parents"

"They are coming in right as we speak" Asami spoke up "I'm the detective assigned to talk to them"

"I'll do it"

"No you won't"

After talking to Ren's parents, they learned nothing. Other than the fact that she was a smart, funny, caring girl who had no enemies. Mai snorted at that comment. Everyone has enemies.

They interviewed Ren's closets friends and Lilac, the best friend, mentioned that Ren was working on a giant project with a guy named Greg. Lilac mentioned that they had a big fight two days before about grant money.

That's what led Asami and Mai to some old run down industrial building turned into apartments. The outside looked hideous but the inside was pretty swanky for college students. Which left an uneasy feeling in Asami's stomach.

The landlady led them to Greg's apartment and the kid tried to run out when he realized Mai and Asami were cops. Not because he killed Ren but because he had piles of cocaine around his apartment. He had an alibi that checked out and was left of the hook.

But the nasty weasel did give them a clue as to who might have killed Ren. The girl had gotten into a bit of a romance with a professor and news got around. Which is how the fight started about grant money because if the educational board found evidence for the relationship they would lose their funding.

According to Greg, Ren had ended the relationship and gotten rid of any evidence that could potentially take away their grant money.

"Well off to talk to Professor Bryant then" Asami said while closing her notebook.

"I have something to do first" Mai got on her bike "Take Korra with you"

Asami blushed at the mention of her girlfriend who was a regular cop. Korra was more into arresting people, carrying a gun, and other cop things than becoming a detective.

"You're going to get a tattoo aren't you"

"That's none of your business"

"It is when it interferes with our job" Asami sighed "I'm not going to keep covering for you"

"Whatever" And she sped off.

The Kitsune took about two hours by that point Asami had already figure out that the professor was married, had several alibis since Bryant was in a class at the time of the murder, and couldn't have killed Ren since Bryant was a female and was only 5'3.

The news surprised Mai but only slightly. She suggested that Asami check that the spouse had an alibi. After finding out that the husband did not have a rock-solid alibi Mai managed to make her way to meet Asami.

Her skin still stung from the tattoo but Mai enjoyed the stinging sensation. After chasing the husband down the street since he bolted the minute the knocked they arrested him.

He confessed to murdering Ren but not because she was in a relationship with his wife but because she was also in a relationship with him. Neither spouse knew about it, but still it wasn't a good enough reason to murder a young woman.

"What do you get from all those tattoos" Asami asked as they sat down at their desks.

"I like the sensation"

"I found a therapist that specializes in the type of thing you're going theough"

"I don't need a shrink"

"I think you do" Asami handed her the address and name of the therapist.

"I might check her out" Mai said while stuffing the paper into her pocket "But I don't make any promises"

And that's how Mai ended up going to therapy for her addiction to tattoos. According to Lyn, her therapist, tattoo addiction was really common.

A lot of people who grew up spoiled, which Mai would never admit that she was, tried to seek attention by covering themselves with art. After explaining she liked the pain of the needle Lyn told her that was because she was punishing herself for wanting attention.

Mai made sure to keep Zuko up to date as she cancelled her next few tattoo appointments. She told Sokka that she wouldn't come back until she had a tattoo idea that she absolutely loved.


	11. Frayed (warnings in author's note)

_Author's note:_

 _Round 3, Season 5_

 _Word count: 1991_

 _Prompts: "Don't look at me like this", Ember Island, and "You found me" by the Fray. Alcohol addiction._

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Submitting for Firebender_

 _Other notes: Modern AU. Azula and Jet are 18+ btw._

 _Trigger warnings: Mental hospital, attempted rape, alcohol addiction, and character death._

 _ **Frayed**_

 _ **Where were you when everything was falling apart?**_

The ends of her hair sprung up in different directions due to the shitty hair cut she gave herself. The dark circles under her eyes seemed deeper than they were yesterday. And her eyes, which had once blazed with ferocious intensity, had lost their sparkle of defiance.

She hadn't spoken with anyone in months, even though Zuko made a point to visit every so often. It hurt to speak with him. Other patients tried to get her to open up, especially at therapy sessions, but she refused to talk to them. The therapist had given up the moment Azula walked in.

Azula was stuck in this wretched mental hospital in the middle of Ember Island. Forced to listen to bumbling idiots all day, and she hadn't been able to find any alcohol. She missed the burning it caused in her throat, the buzz she got when she was drunk, and she missed the way she forgot everything when she had alcohol. She couldn't bend any more, but sometimes, when she was drinking, she could pretend the fire running through her veins was the fire within her, waiting to be released, not an alcoholic burn.

When their father was arrested, Zuko had turned his head the other way and just let the police take their father. And when he found out about Azula's mental breakdown, he sent her away. Azula was just relieved he didn't find out about the alcohol abuse problem.

Her father would have understood and would have helped her, Azula often thought. He wouldn't have sent her to the asylum; he would have cared for her enough to help her through her suffering.

But she was wrong. Very wrong. Ozai never cared for anyone but himself, and Zuko had striven for years to hide that from her. If Zuko hadn't let the police take her father, she would have been okay. She knew that. And so she blamed Zuko for her decline.

 _ **The only one who's ever known who I am, who I'm not, and who I wanna be**_

After six months, Azula finally got to take a sip of alcohol, and she finally talked to someone for the first time.

A guy around her age named Jet was the "supplier" in the hospital. If you wanted weed, heroin, narcotics, vodka, and anything else that was surely illegal he was the one to go to. But everything came with a price.

The value of the item changed per customer. From the lanky kid who always read in the corner Jet might demand a few of his ADHD pills. The girl who was always drawing he might ask for one of her pens. And from Azula, who had a rich brother, well, she wasn't sure what he would want from her.

But she decided to test her luck with him anyway. She needed to get her fix and that meant having to speak. Which made her sick to her stomach because she didn't even know if she could say anything in an eloquent manner anymore. And she certainly wasn't going to make a fool out of herself. Her father had ruled the area, and just because he was in jail didn't mean she had to act like a cavewoman.

"I heard you needed something from me?" Jet sat next her at the lunch table. He pressed himself too close for Azula's comfort. The entire right side of his body was touching some part of her. And she could smell the cinnamon gum he was chewing to cover up the smell of tequila in his breath.

Azula wasn't sure how he knew she needed something. She hadn't told anyone and she never talked so he certainly didn't overhear her. She only muttered to herself in her room, and those were semi sound proof so other patients didn't hear each other screaming.

"Do you want something or not." He somehow pressed himself closer to her. Azula felt bile rising up her throat. Choking it back down, she opened her mouth to speak. But then, one of the guards yelled that she had a visitor. Of course Zuko would show up right this second "Another time then," Jet said with a wink as he walked away from her.

 _ **You got some kind of nerve taking all I want**_

"I've got Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey, and Rum, all over 70 proofs," Jet whispered into her ear. Azula tried not to shiver.

"I'll take the 100 proof Rum," Azula whispered back.

"Meet me at the library in an hour." He leaned into her so much Azula had to hold back the vomit in her mouth. "Bring something to carry it in."

The library was a medium sized room with a few bookcases lined up around the perimeter of the room. An old lady sat at the circulation desk and patients were only allowed three books at a time. She was half blind and deaf and never noticed any of the illegal activities happening under her nose.

Which made it the perfect place for Jet to deal his contrabands. Azula's hands shook without her consent has she pushed the heavy oak doors open, her backpack slung over her right shoulder. She still didn't know what Jet wanted from her.

"Here's the liquor, doll." She tried to stop her face from scowling.

"What do you want in return."

He leaned into her, and looked at her like a piece of meat an animal would be dying to sink its teeth into. All predatory and slimy like the weasel he was. "You."

She pushed him away. "No." She held her ground, handing the bottle back out. She wouldn't whore herself out for the bitter taste of rum, would she? "And don't look at me like that!"

"You've already agreed." He pushed her against the nearest book shelf "And I always get what I want."

In a moment of panic, she smashed the bottle over his head and tried to run. He grabbed her and pulled her flush against him. She started kicking and screaming, but she already knew the old lady wouldn't notice a thing.

Jet pulled out the knife he was hiding in his pocket and plunged it into her back. He watched as Azula's body hit the ground. Her blood soaked the carpet as she continued to scream.

"And that's why you should never say no to me." He backed out of the room, waving goodbye to the lady at the desk.

 _ **Lost and insecure you found me, you found me lying on the floor. Surrounded, surrounded why'd you have to wait? Where were you, where were you? Just a little late. You found me, you found me.**_

Zuko sat in the hospital desperately trying to get Azula to come back. They had pronounced her dead ten minutes ago. He should have been a better older brother. Shouldn't have sent her away. He should have done more for her. He would have done more. He'd been thinking of pulling her from the asylum - but he'd waited, and then he'd been too late. Just a little too late.


	12. The wind in her hair

_Author's note:_

 _Round 4, Season 5_

 _Word count: 927_

 _Prompts:_ Brown, Teo, "Fear is only as deep as the mind allows "

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _ **The wind in her hair**_

For three days, they flew huddled on Appa's back waiting to reach the mystery destination. Toph was ready to be on the ground she felt utterly useless in the air. Not to mention every time Appa swerved or leaned she thought she was going to fall.

Toph was terrified of flying because it was the only time she was truly blind. She played it off well and joked about it but her hands always shook when Aang said Yip Yip. She hadn't slept in days and people were starting to notice.

"Is everything okay Toph?" Teo asked lightly putting his hand on her shoulder to let her know he was there.

"I just," Toph didn't want to admit that she was scared. Didn't want to admit her weakness or her insecurities. She had a reputation to uphold believe it or not.

"You can tell me" Teo took her hand trying to ease her discomfort.

"I hate flying! I'm absolutely terrified and haven't slept and I don't know what's wrong with me. It's not like we haven't flown before…" Toph was going to continue but shut her mouth before she could spill everything. Trying to keep herself intact. She was a strong Earthbender who wasn't afraid of anything, and wasn't going to let this get to her. "And I don't know why I'm telling you since you adore flying"

Teo could rival Aang's love of flying. Being thousands of feet in the air, looking down at the clouds, and feeling the wind rush by. Toph didn't understand them, but that's because the earth is what kept her sane all these years. She wasn't a bender without it.

Toph's hands started to shake as she realized that she yelled at Teo, and that everyone must have heard. She couldn't run or hide since Appa was only so big. Dark clouds of miserable thoughts started to swirl around her brain as she begun to imagine what her friends were thinking. Teo was still holding her hand and she knew he could sense the panic in her body that forcibly ran through her.

"Maybe we should land for a bit" Aang suggested "Appa is exhausted"

Leave it to Aang to try and diffuse the situation and take the pressure off of her. Toph was still trying to school her expression into the usual blank sarcastic face and not the one of fear.

"Fear is only as deep as the mind allows" Teo whispered to her as they begun to head towards land.

She scoffed of course he would try to use an old proverb on her, but deep down she knew he was right. She pulled her hand away from his not jarringly to make him feel bad but just enough to relay the message that she was fine now.

Appa landed with a thud and the Gaang had enough time to unload before the Bison rolled over and slept. Aang sat with the beast petting him and whispering terms of endearment to his oldest friend.

The feeling of the brown dry earth under her feet had the bile in her throat slowing backing down. She stood for a while just enjoying being on a solid un moving surface. When she finally sat she dug her hands into the dirt rubbing it against her skin.

She could finally sense everyone and see. Which meant she could finally be useful and contribute to the others. While on their flight over Katara mended their clothes, Sokka and Aang mapped out a plan, Haru and the Duke made the food, and Teo helped all of them.

Toph turned when she felt Teo roll up next to her. They sat in silence for a few minutes before Teo spoke up.

"Do you want me to stand guard as you sleep?"

"No, I really should help" She stood up "Besides I'm not even tired"

Her body swayed and she nearly fell. Once she balanced herself out she went to head towards Sokka who was building as much of a fire as he could.

"You are going to sleep" Teo wouldn't take no for an answer. Not when she was about to faint from exhaustion.

The Earthbender sighed made an earth tent and crawled inside. She was asleep within seconds despite trying to put up the front that she wasn't tired.

Teo woke her up when the food was ready. He felt bad since she clearly needed sleep, but this would be their first warm meal since they left the adults back at the capital.

The others wanted to bring up the incident that happened in the air. But nobody wanted to bring it up first so dinner was silent. A very rare commodity amongst the group. The only sounds were Appa's breathing and chittering from MoMo.

"Aang and I have decided to make the rest of the journey on foot" Sokka said "Appa can't fly in his condition and it's clear that being constantly in the air after what happened is making us all uneasy. We'll continue at sunrise."

Toph went back to her little tent and went back to sleep as the others cleaned. She couldn't force herself to stay awake any longer.

The Earthbender always wondered if she could see if she would still hate flying. Was it her blindness or her love of the ground that kept her in a constant state of fear? She wouldn't ever find out but at least they were staying on the ground for a while. Where she could be Toph, the one who wasn't afraid of anything.


	13. Don't look at me

_Author's note:_

 _Round 4, Season 5_

 _Word count: 944_

 _Prompts:_ Chair, Kai, Beautiful by Christina Aguilera

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Firebender_

 _Other: Modern AU (They are around 17 and up in this story)_

" _ **Don't look at me"**_

 _Suddenly_ _it's hard to breathe_

Jinora shoved her way through the crowd of high schoolers. Rolling her eyes as she passed a couple making out against a locker and trying not to laugh as one girl pathetically talked about how she caught her boyfriend with another girl.

She wasn't heartless just tired of all the teenage drama that high school seemed to amplify. Jinora stood in front of her locker trying to slow her breathing before opening it. She had to run to catch the bus and her breathing was still ragged.

"Hey," Kai leaned up against the locker next to her. Jinora ignored him not wanting to fall for his "bad boy charm" that her friends warned her about. Even though she already had and was just in the denial stage.

Jinora hurried to her class telling herself that she couldn't breathe because of her run, and not because of the boy.

 _No matter what they say words can't bring me down_

It's not like she was doing anything to taunt them in some way. She didn't stick out or make herself known to anyone other than her friends. But somehow Jinora became the target of on group of popular kids.

Jinora figured it was because Kai had shown an interest in her. And they wanted Kai to join their ranks event though the boy had said no several times. Which Jinora found ironic. She said no to him and he said no to the Populars.

Not exactly the "Circle of life" but to high schoolers it was. A never-ending circle of be bullied or become the bully. There was a gray area where nobody did anything. Jinora was the victim, Kai was in the gray, and the Populars were the bullies. Maybe it was a triangle? Jinora wasn't sure the process needed a shape.

Whenever they said anything Jinora just held her head high like her grandmother told her to do. She would imagine their words rolling off of her as if she was wearing a raincoat. It worked for about three days.

"Kai doesn't actually like you" The leader of the Populars yelled at her as she walked through the cafeteria. The girl's name was Ren, her brown hair was always up in some fancy hairdo, and she wore the same diamond ring every day.

"How could he! He'd have to be blind she is hideous" Ren's sidekick Elyse snickered while flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

Jinora turned around deciding she wasn't hungry anymore. She also didn't want anyone to notice the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

She kept hearing Katara's voice in her head telling her not to let these nasty people bring her down. She ignored the voice of her grandmother and continued her trek to the door.

 _So consumed in all your doom_

The yelling at lunch continued and Kai stopped showing up at her locker. Jinora's friends tried to shield her from the hateful words by taking her to eat lunch outside of school, but Ren and her cronies started posting things on her locker.

And once they realized that she was just throwing their "Newsletters" away they pursued her in the hallway and in class.

Remember the process mentioned before with the gray area? Yeah, all the teachers were in that gray area. They would turn their heads and avert their eyes. Pretend nothing happened in their classrooms.

Jinora would go home, run up to her room, and shut the door. Her parents were worried but couldn't get her to talk, and when they called the school no one spoke up. She was scared of going to school and dealing with those girls. Of them finding out about her insecurities. She tried so hard to keep it inside at school that when she got home all she could do was cry.

None of the authority figures believed Jinora's friends about what was going on claiming they were biased. Which meant Penny, Jinora's best friend had to be stopped several times from throwing a chair at Ren's head.

 _Tomorrow we might awake on the other side_

Then one day Kai showed back up leaning next to her locker. Except her locker was covered in flowers and Kai was holding a rose in his left hand. Penny had to push the smaller girl towards the cute boy.

"I'm sorry I left you to fly solo" Kai said. He thought leaving her alone would stop the bullying but he couldn't be more wrong. "I told the guidance counselor what has been happening. With evidence, I've compiled hopefully Ren and co will leave you alone now"

"And you decided flowers were a good way to tell me this" Kai handed Jinora the rose. She examined it still confused as to why her locker was decorated.

"No, those go along with the question I have for you"

"And that is?"

"Will you go on a date with me?" Kai twiddled his thumbs nervously. The whole school had labeled him as the bad boy but he wasn't. He was a die-hard romantic that just happened to like leather jackets.

"Yes" Jinora couldn't come up with anything more eloquent than a simple yes. She didn't want to come off as too eager.

"Really?" Kai's eyes lit up "I thought you hated me"

"I was acting" Jinora said shyly.

Kai walked her to all her classes that day, and for the next year actually. He told Jinora every second how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. Jinora hadn't smiled that much in her life until she started dating Kai.

 _I am beautiful in every single way_


	14. A Mother's Instinct

_Author's note:_

 _Round 5, Season 5_

 _Word count: 814_

 _Prompts:_ Table, Ozai, "One more light" by Lincoln park

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Other: A little AU or Out of character I don't remember this story line from the show all that well and a lot of details were left out._

A Mother's Instinct

 _ **Were there signs I ignored?**_

Ursa knew she had to protect her children. From the day, they were both born she took an unspoken oath to stop anything bad from happening to them. It went well for a while.

Her life was as good as it could get. She was married to a Prince, had two beautiful children, and was living in luxury. Her children had the best clothes, education, toys, etc.

But with the upsides there were downsides. All Ozai would talk about was getting the throne despite being the second child. And her Father in law was crazy and running a war that was killing thousands. Ursa had to ignore the red flags if she wanted to continue providing for her kids.

 _ **Can I help you, not to hurt, anymore?**_

Ursa did her best to try and comfort Iroh in her letters. The loss of his son hit him hard. It made things back home worse. Ozai never shut about how everything was leaning in his favor.

Every conversation was about how Iroh didn't have a successor anymore and how he had two. Which is how they ended up in this mess. Ozai called a meeting with his father and tried to convince the elder of his plan.

Azulon was tired of his son's petty ways and demanded that Ozai suffer the same fate as his older sibling. Little did Ursa know that her children had heard the whole conversation.

When her Husband came to her with the news she put her foot down. She would not let Zuko die for something so primitive.

Ursa had plenty of free time around the palace and often stayed in the library. Where she once read and interesting book about poisons. She snuck off to Azulon's sacred garden where he kept many dangerous plants and other wild species.

She found the hemlock plant and snip enough off. She then snuck her way into Azulon's chamber and mixed the Hemlock into his late-night tea. Her father in law never saw it coming. It did take all of her strength to carry the man into his bed. He may have been old but that didn't mean he was frail.

When Ursa returned to her and Ozai's chamber she told him what she did. He declared that she be banished for killing his father and sent her to pack.

She made sure to say goodbye to her children as she left the palace door under the gleam of the moon. She found a safe space to set up a small campsite and doze for a bit.

 _ **In a sky of a million stars**_

Ursa expected to wake up under the stars not in her bed next to Ozai. She got out of bed groggily and put on clothes. She drifted through her normal routine and was confused when she was dragged into the Throne room.

Ozai hadn't said anything when they woke up so why would he say something now? Ursa thought to herself. She nearly choked on air when she met Azulon's gaze and not Ozai's.

She thought she was still asleep but everything she knew about dreams told her this was real.

So, when the time came Ursa killed Azulon and was banished again. This happened for eight more days. She didn't understand why she was reliving this day over and over again. There was no way to change her actions. If she didn't kill Azulon her son would die.

 _ **Who cares if one more light goes out?**_

When she woke up on the 10th day Ursa decided she would change some little aspects about her day.

She had a different breakfast, wore different clothes, and wore her hair differently.

When the time came for her to sneak into Azulon's garden she didn't grab Hemlock she grabbed a Lily of the valley instead. She hoped that the poison she used would cause the days to go back to normal.

Azulon died slower this time and she didn't have to carry him to bed. He walked himself and she watched as his eye lids slowly shuttered shut. Ozai yelled less this time but still demanded she leave.

This time she only visited Zuko and for a shorter time. She didn't lie with him for a few minutes, she didn't sing to him, she didn't bother to see Azula. She ran in kissed his forehead and left.

Ursa tried to put as much distance in between her and the Palace as possible before she set up her make shift camp. She laid out a plan for herself and even came up with a list of new names.

This time she woke up under the light of the sun and not next to Ozai. This time she was truly free. Her heart ached for Zuko and Azula and prayed they would be safe.

She be reunited with them eventually.


	15. Why would I lie to you?

_Author's note:_

 _Round 5, Season 5_

 _Word count: 820_

 _Prompts:_ Cheese, Kuivira, AU one canon Animal is now human (Pabu)

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Firebender_

 _Other: I've only seen Korra once so this is very far from the actual plot of the show. I tried my best._

 _ **Why would I lie to you?**_

Bataar jr ran a hand through his hair ruffling it slightly. He sat on the train trying to write out a new plan for Kuivira but the jostling made it hard to do. Not to mention his sister's _boyfriend_ and his Red headed sidekick Pabu kept trying to convince him his fiancée was evil. Bataar wasn't having the best day.

He also had this weird feeling that he had been through all of this before. Bataar wasn't new to Déjà vu he experienced it quite a bit, but this time it was defiantly different.

He started to realize it when he noticed that Pabu had been eating the same wheel of cheese for three days. For a normal human that would have been normal but Pabu loved cheese and went through a wheel of cheese each day.

It became clearer when Kuivira kept asking for the same attack plan even though he was sure he gave it to her days ago.

Bataar wasn't having a bad day he was having a bad month. It just seemed like one day. He knew he wasn't living the same day over and over because slight things were changing.

Maybe he was dreaming and was stuck in a looped dream. Bataar decided to run a few tests. He wasn't exactly sure what test to run though so he ran every test he could. When it came back that there was an irregularity with the time space continuum Bataar made it his mission to fix it.

He started changing bigger things about his day and those snowballed into other people's actions. The whole day began to change and Bataar felt accomplished surely, he had fixed everything.

But then the Avatar attacked and he realized he messed up big time. He pushed everything to the extreme and instead of fixing time he ripped it. He caused a new timeline and he wasn't sure how this was going to end.

He quickly drew up a plan of attack for Kuivira and stood meekly by her side as she doled out the crew to defend her.

The battle stopped and they were all pushed back in time by a few hours. Bataar seemed to be the only one who noticed. He tried to convince the others of the attack but no one listened. Except for Bolin and Pabu who knew of the Korra's plan.

The demanded to know how he found out about the battle but when he explained it to the Bolin gave him the trademark "I'm Bolin and I have no idea what's going on" look.

This time they only got a few minutes into the battle before the time loop reset itself by a few minutes.

Bataar ran to his lab and tried everything to get the universe to fix itself. But the time loop kept restarting. Soon more people started to figure it out and demanded Korra and Kuivira to stop it. Nobody on either side had a clue on what to do.

When Kuivira found out Bataar jr caused the problem she was furious. Everything she wanted to say to him was aired out. She consulted the other "smart" people in her crew and asked what should be done with her no-good fiancé.

"Well ex-fiancé" Kuivira drawled "I'm dumping him after we sort this out"

If hearts could actually shatter than Bataar's did. He loved Kuivira unconditionally and should have listened to Bolin and Pabu's warnings. He pushed his family away for her, he wasted so much time on her, and he tried to fix this for her.

He decided to offer the universe a choice he walked right out in the middle of the fire. If the only way to fix his mistakes was to atone for them then that's what he going to do. He was going to sacrifice himself not for Kuivira but for his family.

He was going to make it up to them and hope they saw him as valiant hero when the time came. That time never came because the moment he walked out of the train the loop reset itself but this time he knew it was different.

He ran the test and everything came up fine. He found Bolin and Pabu and told them he believed them.

"Here" Pabu offered him some of his cheese "Have some victory cheese"

Bataar took it and ate it slowly. He wasn't fond of cheese but he didn't want to be rude. He left a note for Kuivira saying the engagement was over and that he was joining his family.

When he saw his mom, he broke down crying and begging for forgiveness. She forgave him and everything was right again.

Dear Kuivira,

This letter is to inform you that our engagement is now terminated. I finally saw you for who you actually are. I have decided to join my family and fight against you.

-Bataar jr Beifong


	16. To Find Our Way Home

_Author's note:_

 _Semifinals, Season 5_

 _Word count: 999_

 _Prompts: Old map, Faded photograph, and Jewel in the first sentence of paragraph. Water used for a bonus point, and first captain to submit._

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _ **To find our way home**_

"It's okay to feel bad about leaving," Katara said as she sat next to Toph. She was cautious about how to approach the young earth bender. They had only known each other for a short while.

"I don't!" Toph exclaimed. "Feel bad, that is."

Katara knew the girl didn't mean what she said — regret was bejeweled all over Toph's face. Toph was fiddling with something in her hands, rubbing her fingers over it, as if memorizing the touch. Katara looked closer and realized it was a faded picture of Toph's parents. The waterbender thought it was weird for Toph to have such a possession.

"You're staring at me."

"I am not." Katara cleared her throat "I was looking at what you have in your hands."

Toph moved the photo out of Katara's view, desperately trying to hide her emotions like an uncovered jewel. They couldn't think she was weak. They might make her leave and she couldn't go back to living like that. She needed to earthbend.

"Can I tell you a story?" Katara asked quietly, doing her best to ease the earthbender.

"Do I have a choice?"

"In theory, yes."

"Even if I say no you're still going to tell it."

"Yes," Katara chuckled "But it's a good one I promise."

 _Katara sat with her arms crossed patiently waiting for her father to finish the treasure map, maybe it would lead them to some fancy jewels. Hakoda had promised his children that he hid something in their village for them, and the only way to retrieve it was to follow his map._

" _Like pirates!" Sokka exclaimed bouncing up and down._

" _Yes, like pirates," Hakoda laughed "But you must work together."_

 _They nodded their little heads and snatched the map ready to get their hands on those jewels. Sokka was designated as the map reader and Katara led the way. The map had riddles that they had to work through. Sokka knew the landmarks and Katara was pretty good at guessing their clue._

 _They spent all afternoon wrapped up in their warmest clothes, clutching the map and wandering around, hope in their hearts that twinkled like an ornate jewel. They finally found the spot that Hakoda had marked with the trademark "X" on the map._

" _We found it!" they yelled as they began to dig._

 _Sokka was the one who found the small wooden box that was buried in the snow, it was not filled with sparkling gems or glittering jewels. But was filled with fake coins and a note that read 'for future pirate games'. When Katara came to see what he had he closed the box._

" _Let me see, Sokka!" She jumped to snatch it from him "Let me see!"_

" _I found it first!" he yelled back._

" _Dad said we had to share!"_

" _But I found it!"_

 _Katara stormed off to find their father she was surely the jewel in the crown in Hakoda's eyes. But when she got back to their home, Hakoda was nowhere to be seen. Katara grabbed a sack and filled it with necessities. If they wouldn't pay attention to her then she'd leave._

 _Then Sokka would miss her and feel bad about taking their treasured jewels. And at the age of six, Katara didn't see the flaw in her plan. She walked for a while and no one came after her. There was no sign of commotion to signify that they were worried about her. She plopped to the ground and started to cry. Loud sobs were accompanied by heavy tears. The wind nipped at her and accentuated the fact that she was alone._

"Well I assume they found you?" Toph replied.

"I managed to find my way home." Katara went to her bags and pulled out the old crumpled map. "This reminds me of where I came from."

Toph looked down at the photograph in her hands, her eyes as big as one of her mother's bejeweled rings. She couldn't see it but the feel of it was comforting in her hands.

"Is okay to regret coming with us because of the guilt." Katara took a breath. "If you want to go back we can take you."

"No," Toph whispered. "This is my path in life. I can't let my parents control me anymore. It's just that they are all I know and I feel bad for hurting them."

"You can only focus on what's best for you. I know that's hard, but you're the only one who truly has your own back," Katara stated "Everyone else has their own motives and could potentially hurt you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

"I'm not saying people try to hurt others it's sometimes unintentional. It's just our selfish nature."

"I thought you were optimistic."

"I'm a practical optimistic."

Silence crept back up on them, but this time it was peaceful, not a weighted jeweled necklace around them. It wasn't as abrupt as the first time. It made Toph feel welcomed into their tiny, oddly structured family.

"Thanks, Katara," Toph stood up. "I think I feel ready to accomplish this. To overcome these obstacles."

The next morning, they were flying again, the sun a shiny as a jewel, the air as sweet as sugar, and Appa's flying as graceful as ever. Katara did her best to help ease Toph's stomach. The younger girl had turned green at some point. Toph did not think well of Appa's flying.

Katara treated it like a wound and tried to use waterbending, it looked so pretty as she bended it around Toph, sparkling like a blue jewel, but the water did nothing. They couldn't land since they were over water, not like Sokka would let them get off schedule anyway. Katara sat with Toph lying her head in the waterbender's lap. The older girl rubbed Toph's back in an attempt to soothe the earthbender.

Since their talk the night before their relationship was going well, and Katara planned to keep it that way, like a well-kept jewel.


	17. Seven

_Author's note:_

 _Finals, Season 5_

 _Word count: 3809_

 _Prompts:_ _Seven (Title), (plot point) someone reveals an embarrassing secret about another person, (restriction) Start with the sentence - "The clock struck one and all that was left behind was a discarded paper hat."_

 _Bonus: Waterbending_

 _Team: Future Industry Fire Ferrets_

 _Position: Waterbender_

 _Other notes: Nulla is what the romans used as "0", I know the Riordan quote says parents but the section is about Iroh and Zuko's relationship, and the word count does_ _ **not**_ _include the roman numerals or the quotes._

 _ **Seven**_

 _Nulla._

The clock struck one and all that was left behind was a discarded paper hat. It was pointed towards the Library, and so Zuko knocked the hat into the canal and watched the water saturate the parchment. He kept walking, never letting on that the hat meant something.

On his way, home the banished Prince thought about how he ended up in this icy desolate place. The structures of ice and snow did not impress him. The North Pole did nothing for him. Instinctively he reached up and touched his left eye. The cold air had helped to heal the burn, but did not improve his mood.

He hated his father for imprinting his face, hated that this was where he ended up, and hated that his uncle couldn't have colonized a warmer place. As he stepped into his home, his mother's soft voice infiltrated his mind, retelling the story of "The battle of the North Pole".

 _I._

 _It is much safer to be feared than loved because ...love is preserved by the link of obligation which, owing to the baseness of men, is broken at every opportunity for their advantage; but fear preserves you by a dread of punishment which never fails.  
(Niccolò Machiavelli, The Prince)_

Iroh stepped into the grand throne room. A place that someday would become his so he could rule, and try to reverse the pain and misery his ancestors wrought. He bowed before his father and awaited the message that Azulon needed to tell him.

"You are to conquer the Northern Water Tribe," Azulon said. "You leave in the morning."

And with that Iroh was dismissed. They had discussed several times what would happen when they defeated the North Pole. Azulon trusted his eldest child to handle the situation without a debrief.

Once the water around them went from warm to freezing Iroh knew he should prepare his men. This wasn't a battle where they could dock and prepare overnight. The moment they were within reach of the Waterbenders' range they needed to be able to defend themselves.

The fact that it was a naval battle frightened Iroh. Firebenders could command the ground almost as well as Earthbenders, but the water frightened them. It could douse their fiery rage and conquer them in minutes. On their ships, they were safe, but also stranded. They couldn't step into the city because they needed it to be intact for their rule.

The Fire Lord did not want to spend money fixing a city made of snow and ice. Iroh just wanted to keep everyone safe. He knew his father hated his kind soul, but he could never forgive himself if innocent people died because of him. He'd rather be loved than feared... unlike his father. The fear of people fueled Azulon's angry heart.

His brother Ozai was the same way: he loved hatred. He expected it, wanted it, endorsed it. Iroh did his best to raise Lu Ten differently than how Azula and Zuko were being raised. He had hope in Zuko just like Ursa did, but Azula was already growing into her namesake.

The fleet of ships stopped, ice swirled around them as the important people filed onto his ship. One last attempt to get the plan straight. To ensure the lives of not only his men but hopefully the lives of the Northern Water Tribe were not wasted.

He sent everyone on their way back to their own ships. They were anchoring for the night to prepare for the battle. Iroh stopped Lu Ten who was commanding his own ship.

"My son," Iroh said lovingly, "Remember what I taught you."

"I remember."

Iroh took his son's hand. Dread filling his mind, a sickening feeling he could not shake. He prayed that his son would come out of this alive. He let go of Lu Ten and let the young man return back to his ship.

Water was flung at them, ice pierced their armor, waves rocked their ships, cannon balls of snow pelted them. It was cold, and wet, and miserable. Yet as badly as they were being hit with water they returned with fire.

For days, they attacked from their ships and the Waterbenders attacked from the wall. The fighting stopped at night, a mutual agreement to sleep and rest.

Iroh's men were getting restless. They wanted to see everything burn, to hear these people break, to fulfil the Fire Nation way. He tried to keep them at bay to remind them of their Fire Lord. That their leader did not want them to step foot in the city until the king surrendered.

But most of the warriors were young and had not fought in a large scale. They wanted to please even if it meant disobeying.

On the seventh day being, it seemed the Waterbenders couldn't take the stationary attacks. They boarded their boats and set out to capture the ships. Iroh sent out a message to capture not kill. He feared that no one listen to him.

The Chief of the Northern Water Tribe surrendered once the sun had risen on the eighth day. Both sides were mourning losses. Iroh's men had not obeyed his rule, and he suffered the most. His men celebrated a victory while he grieved over the loss of his son. His beautiful son.

Lu Ten was one of the few men who tried to enforce the capture of the enemy. In the chaos, he was stabbed with a spear of ice and died on the cold metal deck of his ship. Lu Ten watched as no one stopped to help him. They continued to fight. Lu Ten died alone, but he died trying to save a life.

One of his men tried to burn one of the Waterbenders. He actually wanted to set the person on fire and watch the flames consume the Water Tribe member. Lu Ten pushed his soldier away causing the man to lose balance and bump a Waterbender who shot and ice spear in reflex.

Iroh hated that this is how they won. Through blood, terror, and the pride of young men. When he returned back to the Fire Nation to discuss the North Pole's fate, he found his little brother on the throne.

An ambassador was sent to deal with the Northern Water Tribe and Iroh stayed to help Ozai with the kids. He had lost his son, but they had lost their mother. Arguably the only one capable of raising the children.

 _II._

 _Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs;_

 _Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes;_

 _Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears._

 _What is it else? A madness most discreet,_

 _A choking gall, and a preserving sweet._

 _(Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)_

He made his way to the Library at their designated meeting time. It was pitch black in some sections and a silvery white in others. The snow, ice, and water reflected the light of the moon. Zuko made a small flame at the end of his pointer finger in the inky black places.

He was afraid to make anything bigger. The last thing he wanted was to burn the entire place to the ground. Well, he would end up melting everything and it would just congeal into the ocean.

She was standing outside of the Library. The soft light of the moon accentuated her features, the whiteness of her hair, the glowing of her skin, her icy blue eyes. Yue looked at home in the cold hue. If Zuko had not come to know her, he would have thought a spirit was before him. An ethereal figure.

Yue was beautiful, in her looks, her mind, her soul, and Zuko couldn't believe he had her heart. Their meetings were secret. In the dead of night, where no one could witness their treachery.

Her people hated the oppression his father's rule brought, and his father viewed her as nothing. Yue knew she shouldn't like the banned Prince of the Fire Nation, and Zuko couldn't help but defy his father.

Yue was everything, and Zuko needed her to live. She stepped towards him and his breath was taken from him. She took his hand and leaned forward into his side.

"Follow me," she whispered into his right ear.

Yue lead them to the spirits' sanctuary. She hadn't shown Zuko before this moment. Fear took hold of her, only her people were allowed to see this. Yue had finally decided to show him her favorite place.

Zuko had been here for a year and a half now, but they had only started to associate a few months ago. The Firebender had bumped into her and nearly knocked her into the canal. He grabbed her hand and pulled her flush against him. Yue had whispered for him to meet her there that night.

They had come up with the hat method shortly after. When they met they would choose a destination to leave the hat and point it where they were going to meet. It was completely secret. No one knew but themselves.

Zuko hadn't felt this alive since he was young and by his mother's side. He remembered the journey here with his uncle. Iroh had decided to be banished with his nephew. They had a nice home here but it was nothing compared to the Fire Nation Palace. They had no authority or power, but they still frightened the citizens.

"It's so warm here," Zuko said as he began to take off his heavier articles of clothing.

"It's the only place here that isn't covered in snow," Yue stated, following suit, she began peeling layers off. "The only place where I can pretend that I have a different life."

If anyone was to catch them it'd be the scandal of the century. Nothing ever happened up there that would deter from it. But they were teens who were in love, nothing could stop them.

They spent the night cuddled together talking about everything they could think of. They dozed off for a bit before the bright light of the sun peeked over top of them. Startled, they rushed to throw their warm clothes back on.

Zuko began to leave but walked back to kiss her. Time slowed to a halt. He forgot he was wasting precious time, that he needed to leave, because to him, Yue was the only thing that mattered. She was the only thing in that moment he cared about. Getting caught didn't even cross his mind until Yue pulled away.

She smiled sadly as she pushed him further away. The sun had arrived and would cast out their secret love to the others. The moon kept everything concealed in her pale glow.

Zuko left the sanctuary first. The freezing air struck him it was not a nice contrast to the warmth he was enveloped in the whole night. The twisting walkways of ice lead him back to his home. He sneaked in as quietly as he could.

His heart thundered in his chest, and fear spread in his veins. Iroh could be up at this ungodly hour.

Zuko thought he had made it until he heard his uncle in their tiny kitchen. Which wasn't anything but a table (of ice, surprise!) and a designated place to start a fire. Iroh was making tea like usually.

"And where have you been all night?" 

_III._

 _Have you ever noticed how parents can go from the most wonderful people in the world to totally embarrassing in three seconds?_

 _(Rick Riordan, The Red Pyramid)_

Yue walked up to the door of Zuko's house. She stood staring at the piece of wood that separated the inside of the house from the frigid air. Yue didn't know the semantics of how the Waterbenders attached the door. And frankly, she didn't care.

Iroh had invited her over for tea and she managed to slip away and sneak there. It was dangerous for her to be there in the daytime, but she was excited to meet the man that had shaped Zuko. The man that was more of a father to the young Prince than the Fire Lord ever was.

Yue finally mustered up the courage to knock. The second her knuckles rapped against the door, anxiety bubbled up inside of her. When the older man answered the door, she calmed down a bit. He smiled sweetly at her and ushered Yue in.

"I know you've lived here your whole life, but you shouldn't be out in that cold." He was kind, and Yue appreciated it.

"It's always this cold, Sir." The Princess knew to use her manners. She had to treat her elders respectively.

"Oh, no need to use such formalities here." Iroh closed the door once she walked through the entry way. She knew that their home would be different from hers, but she was still shocked at how small it was. Even though the Fire Nation ruled over them her family got to keep their house. Yue wondered if that was because of Iroh. She knew he was the General that led the attack, but she also knew that he was following orders.

No matter how kind the person they still had to obey. Zuko had told her all about his Uncles efforts to keep their city intact. To keep their culture the way it was.

Iroh led her to the kitchen and eating area where the tea was ready to be served. Zuko sat there, and Yue could tell he was nervous. It radiated off of him in waves, which was endearing. Yue thought it was cute that Zuko wanted Iroh to like her, or for her to like Iroh. She wasn't sure which one it was or if it was both.

"And then Zuko fell during the dance" Iroh laughed. It was a jolly sound, rich and smooth.

"Uncle!" Mortified, Zuko hid his face behind his hands.

"One time Zuko fell into the Turtle-duck pond," Iroh continued to tell embarrassing stories about his nephew.

A horrified sound escaped Zuko's lips. It piqued Yue's interest and she urged Iroh to continue. Zuko looked at her, betrayed. He knew his girlfriend was enjoying his misery.

"He was walking around the garden when he spotted his sister and her friends. He leaned to catch a glimpse at what they were doing and a turtle-duck nipped at his ankle. Zuko slipped on some mud and landed in the water."

"Uncle, that part was supposed to be a secret," Zuko whined.

"The spying or the fact that a small turtle-duck took you out?" Yue giggled.

Zuko's cheeks were flooded with heat. Iroh changed the topic asking Yue a question, and she never did learn what part of the story was supposed to stay hidden.

She felt at peace when she was around Zuko, and Iroh made this process easy. She hoped one day, maybe when Zuko was Fire Lord that everything would be okay. That they could unite their kingdoms in harmony, and not under a rule of a tyrant.

 _IV._

 _There is freedom waiting for you,_

 _On the breezes of the sky,_

 _And you ask "What if I fall?"_

 _Oh but my darling,_

 _What if you fly?_

 _(Erin Hanson)_

Aang knew they had to enter the North Pole silently. Katara and Sokka's grandma knew someone who could slip them in without the Fire Nation guards noticing.

The Avatar knew what he had to do. He had to free these people from the Fire Lord's rule. Sokka said they should just enter quietly learn what they had to, and leave. This wasn't the time to face the Fire Nation.

Katara and Aang disagreed and since it was two to one Sokka had to go along with their plan. Aang had been meditating frequently, Sokka practiced with his boomerang every chance he got, and Katara practiced her bending.

Kanna promised them they could get the Northern Water Tribe to fight on their side. If they wanted to win this war they needed the support of the North Pole. Aang desperately needed to learn Waterbending to defeat Ozai.

Yue had been adamant about Zuko meeting the Avatar. She knew that Aang needed someone on the inside to help them defeat the Fire Nation.

"If they drive your people out then it could take us in the right step to get you on the throne." She argued.

"Fine!" Zuko didn't know how he was going to pull this off. "I'll help them."

The Northern Water Tribe finally drove the Firebenders out of their city. The few guards sat in their boats waiting for the reinforcements to come. The Waterbenders prepared for battle.

Aang rallied the fighters promising them they could be great again. The only Fire Nation people in the city were Iroh, Zuko, and the ambassador who ran the government. Yue had convinced her father that Iroh and Zuko were not threats and were on their side. It meant revealing her relationship with the banished Prince. The ambassador was leverage to try and convince the impending navy to leave.

They were going to take back the North Pole. Gain the trust of the Northern Water Tribe, and use the newfound skill of Water bending to launch their way forward to fight the Fire Lord. Aang had high hopes for this mission. He would not fail anyone else. He wouldn't let anyone else down. He needed to prove his worth as the Avatar.

 _V._

 _A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you._

 _(C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity)_

Zhao's fleet poured into sight, and terror finally made its way into the minds of the Waterbenders. Had they made a mistake trying to free themselves before the Avatar fulfilled his destiny?

Iroh tried to debrief them on what to do. He knew Zhao's fighting style, and he knew the younger man was ruthless. Iroh also knew that Ozai did not care how many people died. The Fire Lord did not want to preserve the people so he could rule them. If they did not obey then they did not deserve the right to live.

Once dawn arrived they were attacked by giant boulders covered in tar and fire. The snow around them melted and the ground shook. Citizens screamed, battle raged, and the Avatar tried his best to help.

Zuko and Sokka decided to sneak onto Zhao's ship to try and overhear a plan or two. They didn't tell anyone where they were going. It almost ran Katara and Yue into the ground with worry. When the returned from their mission successful, and with news to tell, Katara almost attacked them. They made the mistake of still wearing the Fire Nation disguises.

"Zhao is planning on setting foot in the city," Sokka said while taking of the armor and throwing it into the canal. Hopefully they didn't need it again, but they had to erase their trail.

"He mentioned the spirits," Zuko added. "Do you think he knows about the sanctuary?"

"He can't." Yue jabbed.

"Well he is not one for prayer," Retorted Iroh.

Seconds after Iroh spoke the earth shook. They looked up to see Fire Nation Ships ramming into the wall. Soldiers began to file from them and the world was ablaze.

The group moved to safety. Yue blinded by rage and sorrow led them to the oasis, and they did not notice Zhao behind them.

Zhao knew they would sneak onto his ship, he knew which ones they were, and he made sure they heard his conversation. He followed them back, and they led him right to his treasure.

Zhao was going to destroy the entire population of Waterbenders. Like in his dreams he was going to kill the moon spirit, Tui. He was going to win the favor of the Fire Lord and become his right-hand man. Zhao was going to overshadow Iroh, Zuko, and Azula.

He waited outside the entrance of the little oasis to make his entrance grander. He wanted to see the fear in their eyes as he revealed himself. Wanted to take away their hope.

"Step away from the pool!" Zhao bellowed. He relished in the attention as every head turned towards him. The group stepped away slowly. Zuko and Iroh were prepared to whip up fire, Katara had unscrewed her flask of water, Aang was ready to bend the air, and Sokka stood in front of Yue his trusty boomerang raised.

"How... How did you know?" Yue stammered guiltily.

"I read about it." Zhao smirked. He wouldn't give up the secret of the Library, but he would torture them with the hint.

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to fight?" Zuko taunted. His twentieth mistake of the day.

Zhao rained down destruction and the group struggled to keep up. It might have been four benders and a boomerang against one, but Zhao had the fuel of his "destiny".

In the chaos Yue managed to get pass Sokka and get behind Zhao. She had a small knife that she thought she could use to kill the man. Zhao turned, grabbed her arm, and put his hand to her throat.

"If anyone moves I'll burn her alive." Zhao basked in the terror, "Now one of you bring me the fish."

Zuko stepped towards the pond reaching for the fish. Iroh went to stop him, Yue shouted at him, and the others stood ready to formulate an attack.

Zuko brought the thrashing fish to Zhao by the tail and flung it at him as the older man pushed Yue away. Zuko steadied her, but couldn't read the emotion in her eyes.

The world went dark as Zhao plunged a knife into the fish. Iroh screamed for Zhao to stop, and Yue fell to the ground.

 _VI._

 _It is a curious thing, the death of a loved one. We all know that our time in this world is limited, and that eventually all of us will end up underneath some sheet, never to wake up. And yet it is always a surprise when it happens to someone we know. It is like walking up the stairs to your bedroom in the dark, and thinking there is one more stair than there is. Your foot falls down, through the air, and there is a sickly moment of dark surprise as you try and readjust the way you thought of things._

 _(Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid)_

Yue told them about how the moon spirit gave her life. How she would have to take its place to keep the world in balance. Everything on the outside the Sanctuary walls was in dismay.

The Waterbenders couldn't bend and were forced to fight with nothing. They rushed to grab anything that could be a weapon. The Firebenders were destroying everything and anything they could.

Yue had begun to grow weaker. She urged them to put Tui back in the water so she could complete the cycle. Zuko didn't want to let go of her. The only source of happiness in his life.

"You have to let me do this," Yue pleaded "I have to do this, Zuko."

She kissed him one last time and stepped into the water. Silver beams of light engulfed her and Zuko dropped to his knees.

Iroh hadn't heard his nephew sob before. When Ozai burned him Zuko didn't cry, but these cries broke Iroh's heart. He knew his nephew was broken now too.

The Avatar and the siblings stood awkwardly. Everything was silent and still. Battle raged on outside of their little bubble and the three friends left to help fight. Aang went to Avatar state and ran the Firebenders away.

Zuko and Iroh took one of the backup boats and left in shame. They had betrayed their Nation again and didn't win what they wanted.

 _VII._

 _There are two kinds of guilt: the kind that drowns you until you're useless, and the kind that fires your soul to purpose._

 _(Sabaa Tahir, An Ember in the Ashes)_

Zuko was furious, his outbursts grew larger each day. Iroh was worried for him as they escaped the icy waters of the Northern ocean.

Zuko didn't accept that it was his fault. His mistakes that led Yue to the plank or that he was the one who ultimately forced her to jump.

The Prince swore up and down that the Avatar was to blame for Yue's death. He forgot that his love died to save everyone, that it was always her fate. He yelled for vengeance, his heart called out for revenge. Zuko needed satisfaction, and he would only get that by capturing Aang.


End file.
